When you're gone
by kouri
Summary: All the Shikon no Tama shards have been collected, and Kagome's going home....what will Inuyasha do?
1. Real Feelings

When you're gone... DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha or this song, so don't sue me!!!All rights for Inuyasha go to Rumiko Takahashi, as well as Sunrise and um....all the other companies out there who own Inuyasha. 

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This fic is based on what I've seen/read so far from the Inuyasha anime (until episode 19) as well as the manga.*sweatdrops* ok, lets get on with it!I have to warn you people though, get a load of tissues...coz its kinda depressing...and I was in this sad mood when I wrote it..

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Chapter One: Real Feelings 

A certain hanyou had his back turned to the young girl behind him.   
"Are you coming back?"he said quietly.   
"I...I don't know.."was the soft reply. 

It had been three years since the Shikon no Tama had been broken into millions of tiny shards when Kagome had shot down the crow demon, and shattered the Shikon no Tama in the process. They had been together for 3 years, more or less living together, travelling together in a group, facing dangers together; they were like a family. Now, the last Shikon shard had been found, and Naraku had been defeated less than a week ago;Kikyo was nowhere to be found, it seemed as if she had vanished off the surface of the earth itself. 

With the Shikon no Tama complete, it was decided that Kagome was going to keep it. Inuyasha had gone into a dark mood after they defeated Naraku, and had refused to talk to anyone, and leaped to the highest tree when even Kagome approached.   
Kagome's heart ached because he seemed to carry anger and hate around him like a cloak, and his lack of words hurt her even more than his insults. After 2 whole weeks of not getting any response out of him, she had decided to return to her world, and when she got back, she would seal up the well, never to go return to the Feudal Age again. 

She left in the dark of the night, believing that everyone was asleep, and made her way to the well quietly with her knapsack on her back. She'd left a letter in Kaede's house, to say goodbye, because she knew that if she told them that she was leaving forever, they would never let her go. What she didn't expect though, was someone waiting at the well for her. 

"You're gonna leave all of us, aren't you?Forever."it wasn't a question, but a statement.   
"Inuyasha.."   
"Are you coming back?"he asked.   
"I...I don't know..."tears threatened to spill over, as a lump arose in her throat.   
"Why?"his voice was short and clipped, afraid to say more than a word, afraid that his emotions would truly show.   
"Wha--?"she whispered was all she could do before he whirled around, and she was shocked to see the tears in his amber eyes, his face furious.   
"Why do you have to leave?"his voice cracked on the last word, and the tears in his eyes started to fall.   
"Inuyasha.."she breathed in shock, the tears in her own eyes also overflowing and falling.__

He embraced her tightly, knapsack and all. Her hands were frozen to her side.   
"Don.....don't go Kagome..please. I-I don't want you to go. Would you...stay here?And...be mine?..."his voice was low and hesitant with pain and longing.   
"I-Inuyasha!"was all that she could say.   
"Kagome...I...I...please...stay..."he couldn't stop the tears from falling, his heart from breaking. He gasped as she wrapped her arms around him, returning the embrace.   
"Inuyasha....I didn't know you felt...this way..."she said, crying softly into his kimono,"I thought you--I thought you hated me!!"   
Both of them were crying openly now, holding on to each other as if they would never let go.   
"Kagome, I could never hate you."he smiled through his tears at the absurd idea of ever hating this girl, who was more precious than anything in the world to him, who was like glass, but with a will stronger than any metal, and who he'd fallen in love with ever since she'd brought him back to life from the Goshimboku tree.   
"But you...you call me names, and then blow hot and cold!Why, why do you do this to me!?"she beat her fists into his chest. "It hurt so much..do you know that?So much..."her voice trailed off as he lifted her chin softly upwards, pulling her towards him, and pressed his lips softly to hers, breathing in her scent.   
She returned the kiss slowly, allowing her love for him to bloom in it.   
"This is my substitute when I'm not around, Inuyasha?"a new voice resounded in their ears as they broke away from each other hurriedly, looking around for the source.   
"Kikyo..."Inuyasha was the first to locate the voice with his keen eyesight;he saw her standing at a nearby tree, surrounded by her soul-bringing insects, as the moonlight shone on her, making her look like a ghost.   
"What are you doing here?"he asked suspiciously.   
"I heard everything. And saw everything too."she replied nonchalantly.   
Kagome moved closer to Inuyasha, and he readily embraced her.   
"I have nothing to do with you now, Kikyo. I loved you once, but that love I once had for you is gone. She's not a substitute for anyone, especially not you. I love her for who she is, and she is Kagome."he said, while Kagome's eyes grew larger at hearing his true feelings for her.   
Kikyo just smiled."She won't be around for long, Inuyasha. What will you do then?"   
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "What are you gonna do?"   
"Inuyasha!!!"was the sudden scream.   
"Kagome!!!"he suddenly noticed that she was no longer in his arms, but being held up by Kikyo's soul-bringing insect youkai just above the well.   
"Say goodbye now."Kikyo whispered, as Kagome was released by the youkai, screaming "Inuyasha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"as she disappeared into the darkness of the well.   
He leaped forwards towards the well, only to be stopped by a barrier. His earlier tears started to flow again.   
"KAGOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

AUTHOR'S NOTES:I know, I'm being meaaaaan, but I had to try to leave it at a cliff-hanger status. Is it any good so far??Please give me your reviews, and I'll post the next chapter ASAP. ^_^   
In the next chapter:   
"Whatever love I once had for you is now DEAD!Do you understand me?!!!"   
"...I'm gonna kill you..."   
"She won't be coming back anymore"   
"_Dear Inuyasha, and everybody else_..."   
Stay tuned for the next chapter folks!!   



	2. Loss

When you're gone : Chapter 2 : Loss DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha; Rumiko Takahashi does, and so does Sunrise and Bandai, and all the other companies who own Inuyasha. So don't sue me!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES:This is Chapter 2 of 'When you're gone..'. Thoughts are in italics, and you'll see some 'switching times' between Kagome's time and the Feudal Period; these are all divided by sections ok?^_^So don't get confused!!Btw, there's some cursing and violence in this chapter, so I've marked it as PG-13. Thank you for all the people who've reviewed my story and loved it!^_^Thank you so much!!You don't know how much it means to me!!Just for you guys, this chapter 2 is a very much longer version than the chapter 1, so enjoy!!Now then, on with the story~!  
  
Chapter 2: Loss  
  
As she fell through the Bone Eater's Well, she was screaming Inuyasha's name, and she heard him screaming hers.  
"INUYASHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"  
"KAGOMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"  
She landed at the bottom of the well, and waited for Inuyasha to appear too, to hold and to comfort her, and tell her that everything was alright, but he didn't.  
_He's not coming?But he..I...why?Where is he??_she thought as the minutes went by._Kikyo...she couldn't...did she do something to him?_her anxiety turned to fear as numerous thoughts went through her mind.  
_He'll come. I know he will!!!Or I'll go back to him!!I'm not losing him after I've just found him!!I'm never gonna let go!!_She thought with a furious determination while climbing to the top of the well.  
_Wait for me Inuyasha, I'm coming!_  
  
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"KAGOMEEEEEEEE!!!"he howled, helpless and bound by an invisible barrier, as she disappeared into the darkness of the well screaming for him.  
His heart plummeted into desperation as he watched the love of his life disappear into the yawning hole as he tried to follow her unsuccessfully.  
"Kagome"he whispered softly, his voice broken.  
"How sad. She's gone forever now, Inuyasha."Kikyo's voice was unfeeling.  
A feral growl arose in his throat, anger rising over losing his beloved.  
"Kikyo, take this damned thing off me."his low and tight with anger.  
"You're mine Inuyasha. Now and forever. Mine alone, and no one else's.I won't allow you to follow that girl back to her time."she approached the struggling demon.  
"You belong to me."she added softly.  
"Kikyo. I belonged to you once, and you to me."his reply was soft, and his voice low, trying to hold back his anger against her.  
"But that bond between us died when we died. I used to love you Kikyo. You were once the girl who taught me that not all things in this world are cruel and unloving. This girl showed me how to live among others, and even showed me love, which I had never experienced since my mother was murdered. But that girl I once knew is now dead and gone, and all that remains of her is a clay model, who exists because of hate. I don't know her anymore. When your..soul, your part of Kagome's soul, left her body and returned to you, and I saw you again, I promised myself that I wouldn't cause myself this pain anymore, that when all the shards of the Shikon no Tama were collected, I would turn into a full youkai, and be strong, and never love anyone ever again, and never be hurt again. Kagome changed all that."  
"Kagome is who I love now."he said quietly.   
"She is no substitute for you Kikyo. She never was, and I never intended her to be. Kagome was always Kagome. There may have been some resemblance of you when I first met her, but that quickly disappeared. She's not some replica of you, and she's been there for me through thick and thin, and she's loved me for who I am. She taught me how to live again, and to protect and hold close the things that you love. She taught me to open up to others, to live and to learn."His voice was softer now, as he talked about Kagome, putting his love into words that he never knew he would say, oblivious to the fact that Kikyo was glowering and fuming angrily.  
Unexpectedly his voice hardened again.  
"Whatever love I once had for you is now DEAD!Do you understand me?!!!"   
Kikyo moved back, shock flickering over her eyes for a second, and then regaining her composure.  
"You'll never be able to see her again Inuyasha. Never."she smiled coldly, walking over to the well.  
Raising her hands over the well, she started to recite an incantation.  
"_By the will of the gods,   
Seal this gateway, as it was never meant to be,   
Let eternity lock it, and allow no one to pass.  
I bound this spell to me, and hold it in death..._"  
"_Let this spell only be broken when the earth itself dies, and all life fades away.._"  
"Nooooooooooooo!!!Don't do it Kikyo!!!!!!!!!"  
They were suddenly engulfed in a bright light.  
  
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_Here goes!!!_  
Kagome jumped back into the well, spread-eagle style, and as she neared the bottom of the well, a thought hit her.  
_I should be back in the Feudal Age by now!What's going on?!_She hit rock bottom, soil getting into her eyes, and pain started to spread over her body. She looked up to the top of the well, realization hitting her like a ton of rocks.  
_I'm still here?!_  
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He could see again as the bright light faded away, and he squinted to see clearly. He could see Kikyo's outline, standing in front of the well in the same stance that she had taken up when she had cast the spell.  
His anger boiled again  
"What the fuck did you do Kikyo!"  
He could move freely now; the barrier seemed to have disappeared.  
Kikyo turned around, a smirk on her face. "Didn't you hear me?You'll never be able to see her ever again. I sealed up the well. I know that she comes from the future; nobody wears clothes likes that in this age and time, and I once saw her come up from that well. It is clearly the gateway to her era. And I have sealed it."  
Shock crossed his features, the pain in his eyes evident.  
"You...couldn't....no...."he was at a loss for words.  
She moved closer to his form on the ground, and held him; he was broken and crying.  
"We can be together now Inuyasha. No one will be able to stop us. We'll be together forever, like we used to be."She whispered into his hair, stroking it softly.  
"No..."he was frozen in her embrace, tears streaming down his cheeks, his hands clenched into fists in pain and loss.  
  
_Kagome..the thought of not being able to ever see you again...I can't take it!I have to see you!!!I need you, like air, like water...I love you..._ The tears continued to fall as his pain increased._  
  
This is for you Kagome._  
Inuyasha suddenly embraced Kikyo back, holding her tight, like he had done earlier in the night to Kagome.  
"Kikyo,"he whispered.  
"Inuyasha, I want to stay like this forever..with you together forever..."Kikyo closed her eyes, smiling and resting her head on his shoulder.  
"Kikyo..."he closed his eyes as well, his voice soft. "I-I want to be like this too...only...."  
"Hmm..?"Kikyo murmured sleepily.  
"....I'm gonna kill you..."his voice, which had been soft and gentle just moments ago had hardened into something like stone, and his eyes suddenly changed from their usual amber colour into a blood-dripping red.  
Kikyo's eyes snapped open in realization, but it was too late, for his claws had already stabbed through her back in the area where her 'heart' was supposed to be, and she slumped forward onto him, blood dripping from her mouth.  
"So....this....is how you truly feel about me....Inuyasha...."she gasped in between breaths of air, as blood continued to spill from her.  
He retracted his claws from her back and stood up, looking down at her in pain and hate.  
"Why did you force me to do this?I said that any love that I had for you was DEAD!What part of it didn't you understand?Why did you try to take her away from me, Kikyo?Do you even know what the meaning of love is?It isn't about trying to possess somebody!You never understood...."  
"Kagome once told me...'If you truly love someone, you'll let them go...'...you didn't really love me, did you, Kikyo...she was willing to let me go to you, because she truly loved me.You.."he pointed a claw at her, the tears were still flowing freely down his face, partly because of having to kill his former beloved, and partly because of the turmoil that was going on in his heart at that moment.  
"If you had truly loved me, you would have let me be with Kagome!!!!"he shrieked at her.  
He watched the hate in her eyes return as she died silently, her body finally turning to dust as the last drop of blood drained from her body.  
A slight breeze blew, taking the dust along with it, and he collapsed into a pile on the ground, crying silently, and bit his lip, drawing blood,trying to hold in the pain as the tears fell faster and faster, soaking the dry ground beneath him.  
His howl echoed through the night.  
"_KAGOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_"  
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They found her letter in the morning when they awoke, and as Shippou ripped it open, Inuyasha opened the door. They looked at him in shock. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked as if he'd been sleeping in the dust, and had been through seven hells and back. His hair, usually a bright white-silver colour was covered in muck, but what shocked them the most was the blank look of pain and loss that they saw in his eyes, blank and unseeing.   
He muttered something under his breath, his head bowed, as he stood in the doorway.  
"What did you say Inuyasha?"Kaede inquired.  
"She won't be coming back anymore."was the stony reply.  
Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kaede could only stare at him open-mouthed.  
"You...you're kidding right?"Shippou asked, tears starting to form in his eyes, the letter in his hand.  
Miroku stood up and walked over to Inuyasha, furious."What did you do to Kagome-sama?"  
"I didn't. Kikyo did."  
Kaede looked up in surprise."My sister?What did she do to Kagome?"  
"Kagome can't...she won't....she'll never be able to come back again..."it was getting harder for him to speak as a lump in his throat formed, making it difficult to speak without crying, just like the night before when Kagome was leaving.  
Sango asked softly "Is Kagome dead?Did Kikyo kill her?"  
"Kikyo pushed Kagome back into the well....and sealed it with her magic."Inuyasha suppressed the waver in his voice to speak properly.  
"And where is my sister now?"Kaede asked, her eyes on the ground.  
"I-I...I killed her. Her soul can rest now..."the lump in his throat arose again, and he fought to keep the tears at bay.  
Kaede smiled sadly, still staring at the ground, her voice soft.  
"Thank you, Inuyasha. For releasing her."  
"I didn't do it for her. I did it for Kagome."  
Shippou was crying loudly now, trying to speak through his tears.  
"Why didn't you follow her?"Each word was followed by a wheezing breath.  
His anger suddenly returned and he stomped angrily towards Shippou, who was still on Kagome's sleeping bag, which she had left the night before.  
"Do you know how hard I tried? Every time I reached the mouth of that damned well, I got repelled by this--this, damned repelling force!"he didn't know how to describe it, and was waving his arm around in the general direction of the door instead.  
"I tried so hard.."He couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and they spilled over. His back heaved silently as he tried to keep the sobs in.  
They stared at the sobbing hanyou in shock, and the whole room was silent, except for Shippou's sobs and Inuyasha's suppressed sobs. They had never seen him cry before, let alone have tears in his eyes.   
Inuyasha dropped to the floor of the small room in a boneless heap, crying softly, and hugging himself. Sango and Miroku could only watch him cry in sorrow and pity;their eyes were dry, and they were in too much shock to cry. The tears would come later, and when they came, they would rival Inuyasha's sorrow and pain every bit. Kaede could only stare at the ground, and it was clear that she was not trying to cry as well.  
Sango crept over to Shippou, and stroked his hair, talking softly to him.  
"Come on Shippou, let's read the letter that Kagome left us.."  
Inuyasha sat up, rubbing the tears off his face at the mention of Kagome's leaving a letter behind for them.  
_ Maybe now, I'll know what she wanted to say to me last night, before Kikyo..._his train of thought trailed away.  
Kaede got up from where she was and took the letter from Shippou, took a shivering breath, and then read Kagome's letter out loud.  
_"Dear Inuyasha and everybody else, I want to thank all of you for being my friends, and for being my second family. By the time you read this, I'll be back in my time, and this time, I don't think I'll be coming back.   
Shippou, you're going to grow up to be a fine young youkai, I just know it! Please don't cry over me leaving you, because, no matter what, my love will always be with you.  
Sango-chan, please look after Shippou for me when I'm gone, you're the only one who can, other than me (no offense meant, Kaede-baachan). Miroku, take good care of Sango-chan and stop being such a lecher, ok? Keep a good lookout for Inuyasha, please. Kaede-baachan, thank you so much for being such a good adviser and counsellor to me, and teaching me how to use my powers;you're like a mother to me.  
I just wanted all of you to know how much I love you, especially you, Inuyasha.   
I don't know whether you feel the same way, but Inuyasha, I started loving you the first day that I saw you. No matter how much you kept going back to Kikyo, and no matter how much pain it caused me, I loved you, and I always will. I always wish that I was her, so that you would show me the love that you showed her, but I'm happy knowing that you at least care for me even as a friend. That alone makes me happy, although I wish it was always something more.   
Be happy with Kikyo, Inuyasha. Aishiteru.  
Sayonara, minna._"  
_  
Kagome....I should have told you earlier;I can't say anything to you now, and you're gone, and you can't ever return to me, and be mine._ His tears fell and the sobs increased.  
_  
Kagome....ore mo....anata wo....aishiteru yo..._  
  
His voice cracking and broken, pain making his words barely audible.  
  
"Aishiteru Kagome. _Aishiteru.._"  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES:Wow....that was a really long chapter....I'm starting to feel depressed myself.....;_;but....is this too soppy or something??I hope ya'll liked it! For those of you who don't understand Japanese, "Aishiteru" means "I love you", but I suppose that you already knew that. Inuyasha's reply, in his thoughts?That's "I love you too." This story is getting really heart-wrenching, isn't it? It's getting like that for me too....*starts bawling*waaaaaaah!!I don't know why I'm writing something this sad.   
Heck, this was only supposed to be a short song-fic, but somehow, its gone and turned itself into this....my English composition essays also turn out like this...I dunno why either... I made it so that Kaede can read; I figured that priestesses should be able to read right?Seeing as they probably keep a whole ton of scrolls or something all the time, so she should know how to read. Miroku....him being a funky type of priest, I had absolutely no idea whether he knew how to read or not, so he's not reading, and Sango has been brought up as a demon-hunter, only knowing how to kill demons, so I figure that she's illiterate too. Shippou's parents are kitsune, I don't think that kitsune actually read so, that's out of the question. I don't suppose Inuyasha's parents taught him how to read or anything, as his father never seemed to be around, and his mother died when he was about, what? 5 years old or something?So Kaede's reading the thing.  
Anywayz....  
  
In the next chapter of 'When you're gone...'  
  
Chapter 3: In your dreams  
  
_"A curse...you can see her, but she can't see you...how?"  
"Don't leave me..."  
"Love you...always have, always will...."_  
  
*Note!!!!  
Chapter 3 will be seperated into part one and part two!!!Part one will be finished very soon, but you'll have to wait sometime for Part 2!!!^_^Please be patient, as I'll post Part 2 ASAP!!!!^_^Thank you for waiting!!!^_^  
  



	3. In your dreams Part 1

When you're gone...Chapter 3: In your dreams DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha; Rumiko Takahashi does, and so does Sunrise and Bandai, and all the other companies who own Inuyasha. So don't sue me!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES:This is Part 1 of Chapter 3 of 'When you're gone..'. Thoughts are in italics, and you'll see some 'switching times' between Kagome's time and the Feudal Period; these are all divided by sections ok?^_^So don't get confused!! Erm, there'll also be some dream sequences in this, and they'll be in.....uh....italics as well, and don't forget, the  thoughts during the dream sequences are in **normal text**!!! This chapter isn't as dark as the last one was, so you can put away some of the tissues for now!!Thank you for all the people who've reviewed my story and loved it!^_^Thank you so much!!You don't know how much it means to me!! Now then, on with the story~!(It is vital that you read the Author's Notes in this chapter, as you may get confused with what are thoughts, and which are in dream sequence!!!Please read them carefully!)  
  
Chapter 3: In your dreams Part 1  
  
Kagome sat at the bottom of the Bone-Eater's well in her world, back heaving as heavy sobs blocked out the sound of her fervent digging at the earth. Her heavy tears plopped to the ground, a steady stream, never even stopping for a second. Her nails scratched hard at the ground, mindless of all the rocks that had caused her hand to bleed a small stream of blood from her palms.  
_I have...to get back...I need to see him!!Please...open damnit!!!_She rubbed her eyes to get the tears out of her vision, and then continued digging again, desperately.  
She suddenly seemed to remember that the Shikon no Tama was around her neck, and she paused in her digging to hold it.  
_Can I....use it to go back?Is it possible?I've got to try it!!!Please...work...this is my last hope....Kami-sama...please grant me this....  
_She closed her eyes tightly, still holding the jewel, waiting for something to happen.  
Nothing happened.  
She opened her eyes again, and the tears fell harder this time, her sobs louder, and harsher, leaving her trembling as each sob passed.   
"No....no....I can't go back...I need to go back...I have to see him..."she whispered brokenly, voice coarse from crying.  
"Inuyasha...."  
Her voice rose to a scream, pain and anguish evident in it.  
"_INUYASHAAAAAAA!!!!!_"  
A short while later, footsteps and wooden sandals could be heard clacking across the tiles outside the well. Kagome's grandfather and her younger brother appeared at the top of the well, gasping, and were shocked at the sight of her crying brokenly at the bottom of the well, not even looking up at them to acknowledge them.  
"Nee-chan..."Souta whispered worriedly.  
  
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Rain poured down from the heavens heavily in the Feudal Ages, as if mourning the loss of Kagome. Inuyasha was at the Goshimboku tree, his head bowed, as he stared blankly and silently at nothing, as the rain fell through the trees and into his hair, drenching him completely. The loss of Kagome was still raw in his mind, still painful to him, and he didn't want to do anything about it; he had been sitting in the same position for 3 days. Right after Kaede had finished reading Kagome's letter, he had left the small house immediately, deaf to Miroku's and Sango's yells for him to come back, and had made his way to the Goshimboku tree, where he finally dropped onto the ground from a large branch high above; he didn't care anymore, Kagome was gone and he couldn't do anything to bring her back, and as long as she was gone, he would remain like this. His appearance was in bad form, he hadn't bothered to change or do anything to his robes after he had killed Kikyo, and he was still dirty, and his hair was starting to get tangled.  
_Kagome..._he thought, _I need you so much..._he replayed the scene of embracing her four nights earlier, wishing that she was in his arms once again, as he fell into a restless sleep, a single tear falling from his eye as he closed them, hidden by the pouring rain.  
  
_He suddenly found himself in Kagome's room, and saw her sitting up in her bed, in her pajamas, and staring with an empty gaze at her blankets.   
"Kagome?"He approached her bed, but she gave no indication of having heard him, and continued to stare at her blankets.  
The door to her Kagome's room creaked open slightly, and he saw her mother step in with a tray of food, and her brother right behind her mother. Kagome didn't even look up at them. Her mother put the tray on Kagome's desk, and then sat on Kagome's bed. Souta stood nervously at the door, watching his sister and his mother.   
"Kagome, are you feeling alright?"her mother asked her softly. When she got no reply, she continued.  
"I've made your favourite oden, and its on your desk alright? Eat it while its hot." she kissed her daughter's forehead and left the room, Souta closing the door behind him and following suit.  
Only after the door was closed and the last footsteps gone did she lose her wooden stare, and bowed her head to cry silently. Inuyasha watched her cry sadly, and he sat on her bed, his heart wrenching with pain every time a tear dropped. He reached a claw out, and caught one of her tears on it, and moved to touch her face. He moved his hands through her hair and held her close to him, but he stopped when he realized that she was still crying.  
He moved back from her and looked into her face.  
"Kagome?"he whispered.  
She didn't even look at him.  
_What's going on here?_he thought silently. _Or could it be that she _doesn't want_ to see me?_Pain gripped his heart at the possibility of her not wanting to see him.  
"She can't see you."A new voice said.  
He whirled around from his position on the bed, eyes narrowing as he saw who it was.  
"Kikyo.."his voice seethed with anger and undiluted hate.__  
She smiled sadly "I put a curse on you..and her...in the last moments before I died my second 'death'. My hate drove me to curse you to be able to see her in her time, but she won't be able to see you. Simple irony, is it not?"  
"You..."he raced towards her form, and clawed at it, but she disappeared.  
"I am already dead, Inuyasha, and this is the last time that I will see you. I just wanted to get my revenge."Her voice echoed around him. "And now I have it."  
_Kuso..._he clenched his hands into fists hard, his claws drawing blood, but promptly stopped when he heard Kagome speak.  
"Inuyasha...where are you now?"It hurt him so badly to hear her voice so broken, in so much pain, so unlike her usual voice, full of warmth and happiness; it was now filled with pain and loss.  
A gray mist suddenly surrounded him, taking him away from Kagome.  
"Don't do this...please....don't do this to us, Kami-sama!!KAGOME!!!!!!!!" his voice rose in volume with every word, as he moved further and further away from Kagome.  
  
_He awoke with a start from the dream, chest heaving heavily.  
_Kagome..._he thought, remembering the dream. _I saw her...is that what's really happening in her time now?...I--I don't want her to see her this sad...I want her to smile, like she used to....I hate seeing her cry...did I do this?_  
As he thought, he was flying through the forest again, back to the village, his body powered automatically towards Kaede's house, and sat himself down in the small room the second he reached it.  
Miroku sat in a corner of the room, back turned towards everybody else in it. Sango and Shippou were on Kagome's sleeping back, Shippou sleeping in Sango's arms, while she acknowledged Inuyasha with a nod, sadness in her eyes. Kaede was brewing something in a pot, and she looked up as he came in.  
"Kaede-baba," he moved closer to her as he spoke. "I...I dreamt that I saw Kagome..."At the mention of Kagome's name everyone but Shippou, who was still sleeping, started to listen to Inuyasha intently.  
"She was crying...for me...and I tried to comfort her, and stop her crying...I thought it was real for a moment...but she couldn't see me...and then Kikyo appeared.."his posture stiffened for a moment, and then relaxed again as he went on with his story.  
"She told me that it was just a dream, and that Kagome couldn't see me, and that she'd put a curse on me and Kagome...that I'd be able to watch Kagome when I dream, but Kagome wouldn't be able to see me, no matter what I do."  
He looked up at Kaede expectantly, the light of hope shining in his eyes.  
"Can you do something about it?"  
Kaede was already muttering to herself about it. "A curse...you can see her, but she can't see you...how?"  
She got up from where she was sitting, and went through a make-shift curtain which seperated the room that they were in now, from another in the back of the small hut.   
Inuyasha's gaze fell into the fire burning, countless thoughts entering his mind, and he was startled out of his thinking when somebody tapped his shoulder. He turned around to see Miroku, smiling sadly.  
"You'll be able to see Kagome-sama again, Inuyasha. So don't worry about it."  
Inuyasha smiled, his first smile through all the tears in five whole days which felt like eternity.   
"Thank you, Miroku."  
  
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She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. Her supply of tears for the day had seemed to dry up, but the empty hollow feeling remained with her, and her throat felt dry.   
"_Kagome_"   
For an instant, she thought that she heard Inuyasha's voice, and she looked around the room, desperately in the hope that he would be there. She smiled sadly as she looked at her room. It was dark and familiar, and morning light was starting to pour in as the sky outside reached dawn. She got out of bed and rummaged through her closet for clothes and a towel; she wanted to try and wash off the pain in the hope that she would actually feel even _slightly_ better after a bath.  
She left her room and entered the toilet, undressing, and turning on the hot water. While the water ran into the tub, she stared at her own image in the face mirror, and saw a lost, pained expression staring back at her. She tried to smile at the image, but only managed a grimace, and she wasn't really feeling up for it, considering what she had gone through in the past few days.  
As the bath filled, she turned of the water and stepped into it, the past flooding back to her. She drew her knees up to her chest, and remembered skinny-dipping in cold lakes and complaining about not having a proper bath and hot running water.  
She smiled ironically to herself, wishing that she was back in the Feudal Ages again, where Inuyasha was.  
The pain in her heart throbbed again, and her tears returned. She went under the water as the sobs racketed her body, and she remembered the night that Inuyasha held her, telling her not to go, and to stay, and be his. She would have gladly left everything in this time for him, even her family, because she loved him so much, that it hurt.  
"_I-I don't want you to go. Would you...stay here?And...be mine?..._ "His voice echoed in her ears.  
_I never got to answer you then, Inuyasha....but I would....I would!_  
  
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Kaede was searching through the numerous scrolls in the back of the room.  
"Where is it?"she muttered to herself, turning a scroll, and squinting at another. She finally found what she wanted, after a long search of ten minutes, and went back out into the small room where Inuyasha and the others were anxiously waiting.  
One look at her face calmed down Inuyasha's anxiousness, as he saw a small smile on her face.  
_Thank you, Kami-sama!_  
"What does it say, Kaede-baba?"All of them crowded around as she unrolled the scroll.  
"It's an incantation to break a barrier between two people."She grunted." I suppose that it would apply to you and Kagome, Inuyasha, but I don't think that anything can be done about the seal on the well, although I'll have to try it some time." She was happy to see Inuyasha's face light up like a child's face does, when they have been given a special present. _  
He's changed so much because of Kagome,_ she thought to herself, smiling. _He must really love her, even more than he did my sister.  
_"So do the spell already!"he said impatiently, a trace of his old arrogant self returning for the moment, and it was all he could do not to jump up and down for joy. Sango and Miroku both shared an amused look at his antics.  
_She'll be able to see me, she'll be able to see me, she'll be able to see me!!_He thought to himself giddily, ignoring the looks that Sango and Miroku were giving him.  
"But."Kaede's firm voice brought him back to his senses again. "I cannot guarantee that the spell can work, especially since it was my sister who cast it, and her magic is particularly strong."  
At this, Inuyasha's heart dropped to the bottom of his feet again.  
At his expression, Kaede smiled slightly "But, the fact still remains that Kagome removed the seal that my sister put on you, Inuyasha, so we have to believe that her love for you is strong enough to break the curse." She looked amusedly at Inuyasha's sudden blush.  
"Let's get on with it then!" Inuyasha walked out of the house, still blushing, but regaining some of his composure.  
_Hang on Kagome!!!I'll be seeing you soon!!!_  
  
  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: There ya go!!That's part one of this chapter!^_^There, at least, there's some hope and some happy, not like the last 2 dark/sad/lonely chapters, huh?Stay tuned for the next part of this chapter!!!It's gonna be up by tomorrow, I'll do my best to finish this fic ASAP too ^_^ So that you guys can finally have a full story!!In the meantime, please be patient!!^_^  
  
In the next part of 'When you're gone..'  
  
_"Don't leave me..."  
"Love you...always have, always will...."_  
  
  



	4. In your dreams Part 2 :Reunion

When you're gone Chapter 3 : In your dreams Part 2: Reunion DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha; Rumiko Takahashi does, and so does Sunrise and Bandai, and all the other companies who own Inuyasha. The song is by Do As Infinity, and all rights goes to them, the LOVE 2000 Japanese TV series and Avex Mode, as well as any other companies who have rights over it. (They have great songs, and even sing the 2nd ED theme for Inuyasha, called 'Fukai Mori'. The single will only be out in June though, and I intend to get my lil' fingers on it!^_^)The original Discman product belongs to Sony!Or whatever company owns it! So don't sue me!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES:This is Part 2 of Chapter 3 of 'When you're gone..'. Thoughts are in italics, and you'll see some 'switching times' between Kagome's time and the Feudal Period; these are all divided by sections ok?^_^So don't get confused!!   
The song lyrics are in italics...(jeez, so many things are in italics....*sweatdrop*)  
Erm, there'll also be some dream sequences in this, and they'll be in.....uh....italics as well, and don't forget, the  thoughts during the dream sequences are in **normal text** !!! I have marked the start and end of the dream sequences, so that you won't be confused with the lyrics and the dream sequence. This chapter isn't as dark as the last one was, so you can put away some of the tissues for now!!Thank you for all the people who've reviewed my story and loved it!^_^Thank you so much!!You don't know how much it means to me!! Now then, on with the story~!(It is vital that you read the Author's Notes in this chapter, as you may get confused with what are thoughts, and which are in dream sequence!!!Please read them carefully!)  
  
Chapter 3: In your dreams Part 2 :Reunion  
  
By the time Kagome got out of the shower, she felt like she'd been dragged through a thousand portals, and her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. Her face was a mask of sorrow, her eyes full of unshed tears which threatened to fall at any moment. She rubbed her hair and her face briskly with a towel, and then picked up the hair dryer, switching it on to full blast, and allowing the heat waves to blow the hair away from her face, as she squinted her eyes shut to block out the heat. She crawled back into bed again, and pulled the covers over her head, the only sound the rustle of the bed sheets. After a moment or two, she grabbed her Discman® and popped in a Do As Infinity CD, and lay down to fall asleep to the music.   
  
_Dear friends, so long  
Wasurenai  
Kurikaesu deai no naka  
Chiisana kizu ato wo  
Yowo te ni kakaeteru boku da  
Samayou bakari  
Kono hatashinai sekai wo mitsumeru  
Tabibito yo  
  
Dear friends, so long  
In those unforgettable encounters  
We use both hands to hold these little wounds  
Endless wandering  
Watching this limitless world  
The travellers  
  
_She remembered writing the letter before she left, alone by the little lake where she always took her bath, crossing out every second line, as she tried to find the words to say thank you and goodbye without hurting them. Finally being able to finish her letter, tears blurring her vision, she put it into an envelope and sealed it, putting it into the outer pocket of her knapsack so that she could just pull it out easily without having to search through her bag when she left at night.  
As she walked back to Kaede's house, she didn't notice a figure that had been watching her ever since she reached the lake. His amber eyes never left her as he watched her write, and wipe the tears from her face every now and then. Pain encircled his heart as he watched his love write something which was obviously a goodbye, and decided to wait and see what happened. When she left, he retreated to his previous spot again, up in the trees, and brooded deeply.  
  
Kagome finally fell into a restless sleep, as the music played on.  
  
*Start Dream Sequence*  
_A gray mist surrounded her, and she found herself in the middle of nowhere. _Where am I? _she asked herself; the gray walls of mist were unrecognizable to her, as she turned round and round, and suddenly froze as she saw a figure approach from the mist.  
"...gome...Kagome...."  
Shock engulfed her mind as she recognized who it was.   
"Inuyasha...."  
His features suddenly lit up as he saw her, and he rushed forward to hug her tightly.  
_It worked...it really worked!_ he thought happily to himself, and joy rushed over him as she leaned into his embrace, and hugged him back.  
Pulling away from her, he held her by the shoulders, and looked her all over, the look of wonder and amazement in his eyes making her blush, before pulling her back into his chest again, kissing her hair softly and whispering,  
"I missed you so much...I'm so happy to be able to see you again...it was hell without you"  
Kagome conveyed her own joy to him by planting happy kisses all over his face, tears falling again, and whispering back to him through the tears.  
"I thought I'd never be able to see you again. It was awful when I realized that I couldn't go back using the well, and I've been crying so much because I thought I lost you...and now you're here."   
He returned her kisses with happy ones of his own, and ran his fingers through her hair, happily smiling in the utopia that they were so wrapped up in.  
"After you had gone through the well, Kikyo put a barrier on me to stop me from following you. And then she sealed the wall so you couldn't come back and I couldn't come over to see you."His fingers tightened on her waist as he explained.  
"I killed her after that."  
"You killed Kikyo?"she asked quietly.  
"Yea...and then, I got back to Kaede's and she read your letter out to us and stuff."He smiled suddenly."The kitsune was crying buckets."  
"And you?"she inquired, a cheeky smile touching her face.  
"I was crying oceans."was his quiet answer.  
He looked down and grazed her cheek with his knuckles softly, wiping the tears away.  
"Aishiteru Kagome. I didn't know how much I needed you until I thought you were gone forever."Leaning down to catch her lips in his, he murmured "But I won't make that mistake again."  
They kissed each other hungrily, their unexpressed love for each other showed in every gesture.  
In the midst of their kissing, Inuyasha started to fade away, and Kagome only felt emptiness in her arms as the tears fell again, as she lost him again.  
"Don't worry Kagome!"he called out as he faded away. "I'll be back tomorrow night! When you dream! Aishiteru Kagome!!!Wasurenai de!!"  
"Don't leave me Inuyasha!Don't leave me..."Tears fell into her empty outstretched palms, the pain and loss returning.  
"Love you...always have, always will..."  
_*End dream sequence*   
  
Kagome sat up suddenly in her bed, gasping and wiping away the tears on her face that had come to fall while she was asleep.  
_Was he really there?_She touched her lips, feeling the pressure of his lips._Or was it only a dream?Just because I want it to be?_A smile touched her features, unseen in the dark._I guess I'll just have to wait for tomorrow night then...even if it was all just a dream....at least I know now that he loves me too..._  
Removing the Discman® , she pulled the covers over her head, finally able to fall into a peaceful slumber with a smile on her face.  
  
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He awoke on the mat with a smart, a dreamy grin touching his features, as Miroku, Sango, Kaede and Shippou gathered around him, happy with what they saw.   
"Did you see her?"Shippou demanded.  
"Judging by that look, he did more than see Kagome-sama."Miroku remarked cheekily, and was rewarded with a whack on his head from Sango with her Hiraikotsu.  
Inuyasha was too happy to even bop Shippou on the head or whack up Miroku, because he was still in his little dream world thinking of Kagome and their passionate kisses together.  
"Mmm..."was all that he said to them.  
"Well??"Shippou demanded again, and this time did get bopped on the head by Inuyasha.  
"Yea, I saw her...she seems pretty alright, thank Kami-sami. Not hurt or anything like that, only that we miss each other a lot."His dreamy grin returned again.  
"Well,"remarked Kaede dryly, getting up from her spot and walking back into the small room at the back with the scroll. "At least we know how much they love each other now." Sango and Shippou giggled while Inuyasha blushed red.  
"Y-y-yea, I love her. S-s--so what?!"He stammered, his face still a burning red, as Miroku joined in the laughter with Shippou and Sango.  
  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: ^_^Hey!!Enjoying it so far??^_^Again, not as dark as the first 2 chapters, but don't think that it'll stay this way for too long!!I might decide to go and twist it again!!Btw, for that lil' Japanese phrase up there, "Wasurenai de" means "Don't forget" ^_^*evil grin* hehehehe....Anywayz, sorry for the short chapter, but I gtg now!!^_^So I'll cya'll in Chapter 4!  
  
In the next Chapter of "When you're gone..."  
  
Chapter 4: Unbroken Curse  
_  
"A tumour? In my body?"  
"There's something wrong with her smell...something different...and bad..."  
"We can't meet anymore."  
"Sayonara Kagome....Sayonara...Hontou ni gomen ne.."  
_  
  



	5. Unbroken Curse Part 1

When you're gone... Chapter 4:Unbroken Curse DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha; Rumiko Takahashi does, and so does Sunrise and Bandai, and all the other companies who own Inuyasha. So don't sue me! The only character that is mine is Kurozaki-sensei.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter is somewhat dark, so be prepared for it!! Its also gonna be rather long to make up for the time that I've taken to write it, so, until I write Chapter 4 Part II, enjoy! Dream sequences again in italics. Usual thoughts in italics too. Switching between times again, they're divided with a dotted line, so don't get confused!  
  
Chapter 4: Part 1: Unbroken Curse  
  
Kagome hurried home quickly from school. She had avoided school since coming back from the Feudal Ages about a month ago because of her earlier depression, but had recently started school again, because of Inuyasha's 'nightly visits' in her dreams. Being able to see him, even if it was a dream, was enough to lift her out of her emotional pain. She was now a senior in high school, and although she wasn't in the best class (most of this was due to her adventuring with Inuyasha, and lack of studying), she was happy, because she still saw her friends and classmates that she'd known for the past 3 years.   
Her admirer, Hojo, had moved onto better things, and had fallen in love with another girl; she was relieved because he stopped sending her all the funny get well 'gifts' that he seemed to have, and also because she knew that Inuyasha returned her love. Both her best friends Akane and Mai (AUTHOR'S NOTES: both affectionately known to us as short hair and hair band girl in the manga, as they don't seem to have names..) had given up teasing her about Hojo, but teased her instead about her 'mysterious boyfriend', and all was well.  
Taking a quick shower and hurriedly finishing her homework, she waited for night to fall, the happiest highlight of her everyday life because she got to see Inuyasha. Her mother called her down for dinner, and Kagome disappeared downstairs for her favourite oden. Everything was peachy, until suddenly, Kagome felt a horrendous pain in her side, and almost collapsed.  
"Nee-chan!! Doushite? Daijoubu desuka?" Souta asked, upset.  
"Are you alright Kagome?What's wrong?" Both her mother and grandfather were looking across the table, worried at the expression on her face.  
"I'm...fine..." she managed, and then the pain was gone. She sat up and continued her meal, pasting a fake smile on her face, trying to ensure her family. "I'm fine. Really. I just had some indigestion. Don't worry about me."  
Her family just stared at her, unconvinced.   
"Well then, Kagome, sleep earlier tonight, and I hope that you feel better tomorrow." said her mother.Kagome nodded in answer. She may have acted indifferent, but in her thoughts, she couldn't shake the cold feeling that told her that there was something really wrong with her. _Nah....must be my imagination_, she thought, trying to convince herself that everything was alright as she crawled into bed and allowed peaceful sleep to take her to paradise.   
  
*Start Dream Sequence*  
_When she opened her eyes, he was already there waiting for her.  
"Hey love."he embraced her and kissed her cheeks, then narrowing his eyes as he sniffed the air. "Something smells funny."he remarked, sniffing for the source of the smell, and found it in Kagome.  
His eyes were worried. "Is something wrong?"  
Kagome smiled back at him, trying to keep the worry from showing in her face.  
"It must have been the oden I ate."she joked.  
"Hmm..."he muttered, not very satisfied with the answer, but accepting it anyway.  
As soon as the look of worry on his face disappeared, it appeared again, as the pain in her side returned, and she would have dropped to the ground if his arms hadn't been around her.  
"Kagome! Are you alright?"His eyes were worried and feared for her.  
"Yea...yea....I'm fine, its alright."Her teeth gritted together, she barely managed the words as another wave of pain cascaded over her, and she doubled up in pain, making her scream.  
"Kagome, I think that you'd better go back to sleep!It's too much pain for you...What's going on?"he asked desperate for an answer, now kneeling down beside her and cradling her in his arms.  
Other voices suddenly interrupted them.  
"Kagome-chan! Are you alright?"  
"Nee-chan!Wake up!Wake up!"A pair of hands shook her gently.  
Inuyasha placed a swift kiss on her lips and hugged her tightly once more, saying "Go back now Kagome, find out what's happening to you!! And get some rest love. I'll see you tomorrow night."  
Kagome could barely nod, the pain dominated her whole body now. "'Bye love." He faded away as she came back to the real world._  
*End Dream Sequence*  
  
"Nee-chan! Nee-chan!! Wake up!"Her eyes opened to Souta's, her mother's and her grandfather's face looking down at her in worry.  
"What's wrong Kagome?What was happening?Did you have a bad dream or something?Did the pain that you felt earlier come back?"her mother asked her, trying to get an answer out of her.  
Kagome shook her head, smiling slightly. The pain was gone again. "It's nothing. Just a bad dream." _Hardly_, her mind taunted, _ it was hell! Even when Inuyasha was there_.   
"Are you sure you're alright?"Mother, grandfather and little brother looked at her.  
"Yea...I'm fine...just go back to sleep now, ok?I'm really tired."She turned on her side, pulling the blankets over her head, trying to make all of them leave her alone, and feigning sleep.  
Her mother sighed and switched the light off, leaving the room with Souta and her grandfather.  
"Good night Kagome."She didn't answer.  
  
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Dawn was approaching when Inuyasha awoke back in the Feudal Ages.  
_What happened back there?_he asked himself._ I can smell it on her...there's something wrong with her body...but what is it?!_ He punched a tree hard, angry at himself for his lack of knowledge. Jumping down from his branch on the Goshimboku tree, he landed on the ground, and immediately made his way to Kaede's house. Kaede was already up, as well as Sango and Shippou. Miroku had left two days earlier to take care of something.  
"Kaede-baba...do you know anything about feeling pain in the ribs?"Inuyasha asked hesitantly, afraid to know the truth.  
She turned around from the cooking pot and raised an eyebrow at him. "Feeling pain in the ribs? There are so many causes Inuyasha. Is there something wrong?"  
"It's Kagome."he said.  
Brow furrowed, she inquired "Kagome?What do you mean?"  
"I don't know what happened. I saw her last night, and then suddenly she doubled over, holding her abdomen, and she was in a lot of pain. Something also smelt....different....and I have no idea what's going on. There's something wrong with her smell...something different...and bad... She kept telling me that it was alright, and that it was the oden that she ate for dinner, but somehow, I don't really believe that that's the cause of her pain."  
It couldn't be....Kaede frowned worriedly. ".....I think that...this may be a possibility, Inuyasha."  
"What possibility?"He sat down on the mat quickly, hungry for any information that he could get.  
"My sister's curse.....it may not have been fully broken..."was the solemn answer.  
Almost kicking over the pot by accident, he jumped up from the mat instantly "What?!"  
  
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Kagome awoke in the morning, feeling as if she'd been pounded with a hammer while she slept. The pain in her ribs had returned again, and it was worse than ever. Dressing as quickly as possible, and hobbling down the stairs slowly in her painful condition, she sat down at the table and ate. The pain in her abdomen throbbed with every bite that she took.  
Her grandfather was watching her closely as she ate, and saw the tortured pain in her eyes as she struggled with the pain in her body. "Kagome, I'll take you to the hospital today. We should find out what's wrong before its too late." he said firmly, after watching his granddaughter in pain after a few moments.  
"Jii-chan..."she whispered.  
He went over to her side of the table, and held her hand. "Something's wrong Kagome, and we have to find out what's happening to be able to stop all this pain that you're having. It may only have started yesterday, but I do not want to watch my granddaughter suffer in pain like this. We're going to the hospital, and that's that. I'll call up the school and tell them that you're sick." He stood up to go, and heard her forced laugh.  
"Isn't it ironinc, jii-chan?When I kept using the well, you always had to make up excuses for me....and now its actually coming true."A painful smile touched her lips, as he left the room, shaking his head in worry.  
  
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"What do you mean Kaede?!We broke the curse didn't we?!Or how would I have been able to contact Kagome?!This is ridiculous!" Inuyasha paced around the room, furious at this unknown thing that Kagome was facing.  
"I hope it is not so, but some priestesses make sure that their curses will stay, by putting another spell on it, and this seems to be what my sister has done." Her expression was somber. Sango, Shippou and Kaede jumped in surprise as he punched the wall of the room, making it shake.  
"Kikyou again." He muttered. "Why does she do this to us?!" He exited the room, muttering curses all the while, and quickly took to the air as soon as he got out of the room.  
Kaede shook her head sadly as she watched him leave. _And they just regained their happiness again. How short-lived it is....Kagome, I sincerely hope that nothing is wrong, and that you will be able to be with Inuyasha..._  
  
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Kagome sat patiently in the waiting room for her turn. Her grandfather was pacing around nervously, as if waiting for an operation to finish. _ There's nothing wrong with me, right?_ She tried to make the cold fear which was slowly wrapping itself around her go away. _So I should be fine, right?  
_"Higurashi, Kagome." Kagome stood up and followed the nurse into a white room, her grandfather following behind. A cheerful looking young man sat in the chair opposite her, smiling pleasantly. He extended a hand towards both Kagome and her grandfather, trying to make them feel more welcome. _ Sure doesn't seem to be working_. Her mind chuckled to itself.  
"I'm Kurozaki Asato. You can just call me Asato." He introduced himself. "Now, who has a problem?" He smiled warmly at both of them across the table.  
"I'm...having some pain in my ribs." Kagome was hesitant to tell the man, and she didn't really want to know what the problem was, lest it was something chronic. The doctor nodded, and indicated her to elaborate.  
"It started yesterday...and it seems to be getting worse. It comes and goes...and....I don't know..." she said, at a loss for words. _  
_ "Well, there are quite a few things associated with the symptoms that you have described, but we'll need to do several tests to rule out the possibilities."He looked at her for any response. "When would you like these tests to be conducted?"  
"Could we...possibly start it now? I don't want to have anything to worry about." She smiled weakly at Kurozaki-sensei, hoping that the fear that she felt didn't show in her face or movements.  
The doctor got out of his seat, and walked over to a large filing cabinet. "If that is what you want, Kagome-san." was the muffled reply as he stuck his head into the cabinet to look for something.  
"Arigatou, Kurozaki-sensei."Kagome said softly.  
He turned around to look at her from the cupboard, and if she hadn't known better, Kagome would have sworn that she'd seen a flicker of sadness in Kurozaki-sensei's eyes.  
"That's no problem at all, Kagome-san! It's my pleasure!"   
_  
_ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_  
_ Back in the Feudal Ages, Inuyasha was thinking to himself, the swirl of emotions nearly suffocating him, as the thought of losing Kagome again burdened him.  
_I can't believe this!...Why can't I find happiness?! Do the gods have something against me finding love or something?! First it was Naraku creating the rift between me and Kikyo, then me and Kikyo dying, and then Kikyo creating the barrier around the well and now an unbroken curse! What the hell is all this?! _His mind shifted from being furious to being scared and fearing for Kagome's well-being. _Oh Kami-sama...I hope Kagome's alright! I don't want something to happen to her...because of....because of me.....Even if it means that I won't be able to see her again, I'd want her to be alive and well, and I wouldn't want her to suffer all this pain! Kami-sama...please keep her safe....even if it means me dying for her to live....I hate watching her suffer!  
_Guilt gripped him, as the pain of watching her suffer and his love for her conflicted internally in his heart._ I can't be so selfish!! I've got to stop seeing her or something, so that...that....whatever that smell is goes away from her!!   
_Sudden realization hit him like a rock_. That smell.....it can't be...._ His eyes opened wider in horror._ It's the smell of a corpse !   
_ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_  
  
"_Now, lie down flat on that bed over there please. Yes, that's right. We're doing a scan on you to be able to find the causes of this; there's nothing to worry about, Kagome-san." Kurozaki-sensei smiled at her reassuringly, as he arranged for a full, body-over scan-cum-X-ray check-up for her, that would be able to bring the possibilities of the pain caused in her ribs to the minimal few.   
Kagome was dressed in hospital garb, a plain white-looking sheet of cloth covered her as she lay with her eyes closed on the bed. She had decided to immediately start the tests, in the hope of knowing the cause of the pain, and she also wanted to hope that the pain was just a temporary thing which would go away soon, and make her feel relieved, albeit foolish, for having all the petty fears. So far, she had taken a blood test and urine test, and had negative results for diabetes, and some other funny-sounding diseases, which names she hadn't wanted to remember.  
"The scan will take about ten minutes; don't open your eyes during that period of time, or you're eyes will be affected by radioactive rays, and we wouldn't want that, would we? Anyway, let's start that test. Roll her in!" He walked away from the 'bed' as it automatically moved into a large dome-like plastic structure, similar to the machine used to take CAT scans. Kagome's grandfather watched on worriedly.  
_10 minutes later..._  
"We're all done now, Kagome-san. You can leave if you want now, we'll have your results ready in the next two days." announced Kurozaki-sensei.  
She smiled faintly. "Arigatou sensei."  
"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Your clothes are in the next room." The doctor returned her smile as he left the room.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_  
_  
*Start Dream Sequence*  
_Inuyasha greeted his lover in a tight hug as soon as she appeared in the dreamworld. She returned it, albeit weakly.  
"Did they find out what's going on?" He asked her anxiously.  
She shook her head and smiled "I did a few check-ups today at the hospital, but I'll only get the results in about two days or so. The sensei said not to worry though."  
"Yea, well, I sure hope he's right."He muttered into her hair. They held each other in the embrace, silent for a few minutes. Kagome broke the silence.  
"Inuyasha"  
"Hmm..?"  
"What do you think is happening?"  
"To what?"  
"To me. My body."  
"I dunno, I guess its just some kinda temporary pain?" He lied to her, his heart knew that there was something way more serious than just some small pain, but he didn't want to give her his burden of worry. Instead he asked her:  
"Um....the pain...uh...maybe its um....your time of the month again?"He blushed as he said this, holding her at arm's reach.  
She looked at him strangely, and she started giggling; the giggling turned into out-and-out laughter, and he sighed in relief; he was glad to see her laugh.  
Kagome sobered again, and took his hands in hers.  
"No. No it isn't. It's....something else....and..."  
Her next words shocked him, and he thought that his heart would leap out of his body.  
"It's not natural."  
He gripped her hands tightly, moved closer to her, their noses almost touching. She refused to meet his eyes.  
"What do you mean it's not natural?" He demanded lightly.  
"I....can feel it....and it doesn't feel natural...its like as if somebody intentionally put it there or something!" He felt as if someone had suddenly cast a spell on him and turned him to ice.  
_Kikyou.... _He thought silently to himself.  
  
_  
  
A/N: _Eeek, sorry peeps, I took sooooooo long to write this fic, but I've recently been busy with exams, and I've recently finished 'em, and I've been playing Chrono Cross as well, but I've finally gotten around to writing this chapter, thank goodness. Man, it's taken me forever to get back on track. But, yay! The summer hols are off and I've got another two months off until skool starts, so I should be able to finish this story in time. Chapter 5 will be the last chapter ^_^. That was heart-wrenching wasn't it, ne? Sorry, but the fic seems to have a mind of its own, and I kinda like the way it's going. Have to say that it's gonna be a really sad ending though, but still kinda happy. *clamps hand over mouth* ok, that's it! The rest of it, you're gonna have to wait around and find out what goes on!!^_^*evil grin* hehe..  
  
In the next chapter of "When you're gone..."  
  
Chapter 4: Part 2: Unwelcome Revelations  
  
_ "A tumour? In my body?"_  
_ "We can't meet anymore."  
"Sayonara Kagome....Sayonara...Hontou ni gomen ne.."_  



	6. Unbroken Curse Part 2 : Unwelcome Revela...

Chapter 4: Part 2: Unwelcome Revelations

A/N: Gomeeeen!!_You're all gonna be so mad at me now!! _I know, I was supposed to finish this by the end of *last* summer _ Arrrrgh, anyway, here's the latest chapter, and I'm really really reaaaaaaally sorry!!! *makes puppy dog eyes* Please read and review! 

Disclaimer: Arrrgh! Can't be bothered to repeat this anymore now, so let me just say this again: I don't own Inuyasha! The only character that belongs to me in this is Kurozaki-sensei, who I've just made up for the heck of it! YamiMatsu fans will recognize this name! :p ^_^ Now, on with the story!

During the next two days before her results from the hospital arrived, Kagome was very worried about what was going on in her body. She could feel that something was wrong, but she didn't know exactly what. Instead, she tried to find comfort in Inuyasha's arms when the dreams came.

Result day inevitably came, and she entered Kurozaki-sensei's office full of dread. Her already low amount of optimism left dropped even lower as she saw the grave look on his face.

"Kagome-san. I'd like you to take a seat. Your report has come back, and I'm afraid that the results are rather…unfavourable."

_Oh, Lord, please just let it be something minor…oh Lord…_she thought to herself silently.

"I'm afraid that, you seem to have a tumour in your lungs Kagome-san."

There was a collective gasp of shock and horror from Kagome's grandfather and mother (Souta was still at school). It was all Kagome could do to keep from crying out in disbelief and horror.

She felt as if her mind was reeling, as if some black hole were swallowing her up. "_I have a tumour…in my body?_"

Still in disbelief she asked him:

"Are you sure, sensei? I mean, could you have mixed up my report with someone else's? I'm sure that happens…" All hope evaporated when she saw Kurozaki-sensei shake his head in a dreadful finality.

"I'm sorry Kagome-san, but…"

Even before he finished his sentence, Kagome jumped up from her chair suddenly with a painful suppressed sob and ran from the room. Her mother got up immediately to stop her, but she was gone.

"Kagome--!"

Kurozaki-sensei sighed unhappily.

"I'm very sorry to be a bringer of bad news. I would never have wanted this to happen to anyone, especially not to a girl as young as she. The chances of a lung tumour, and a very serious one at that, are one in a million." He looked up at them suddenly.

"Are you sure that she's only been having this pain for the past few days?" Kagome's mother and grandfather both nodded mutely.

"Because…and in no way could it be possible, in my experience with patients…that size of the tumour seems to have been accumulated for the past **_10_**_ **years**_!"

"_10…10_ **_years_**?"

The tears were streaming down her face uncontrollably as she ran from the doctor's room, far away from the hospital, far away from the unwelcome, horrid revelation.

The revelation that she would soon die.

Of course, Kurozaki-sensei hadn't said so in so many words, but she knew it; knew that it could not be stopped; no matter how hard they tried, it would never go away. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she knew, that it must have been Kikyo's last attempt at keeping her and Inuyasha apart.  All her surroundings flew past her as she ran with no particular destination, the tears falling all the time; if anyone had looked at her closely, they would have seen the indescribable pain in her eyes. Finally, exhausted to the point of collapsing, she found that she could run no further, and she was slightly surprised - if she actually had anymore feelings at all that is - to find that she was in front of the Goshimboku tree just outside the temple.

She smiled to herself bitterly.

_Even near death…I always return to you…_she felt the wrenching pain in her heart. _Always you…Inuyasha… _

A sudden searing pain spread from her abdomen upwards toward her brain and she collapsed to her knees, unable to withstand the pain, and passed out.

_Inuyasha… _

Inuyasha was jerked out of his sleep suddenly, a feeling of being cut-off from Kagome jarring him completely awake; he had to dig his claws into the branch he was on to stop himself from falling off the tree. "Shit!" he cursed out loud. _There's something wrong with Kagome! I can feel it!_ The fear he felt was overwhelming, as he sped towards Kaede's hut, limbs moving through the dark forest automatically, his thoughts only for Kagome's safety and that if there really was anything wrong with her, he'd be able to do something about it.

When he reached Kaede's house, he almost broke down the door trying to get in, and succeeded in waking not only Kaede but also Miroku, Sango and Shippo who had already taken up defensive stances despite being asleep only moments earlier before Inuyasha had burst in through the door.

Kaede took one look at his frenzied overall condition and summed it up immediately.

"Something's up with Kagome." His only answer was a frantic nod, his amber eyes holding anxiety, confusion and pain as he took a seat on the floor. Sango lit a fire for light, and sat down, cradling Shippo, beside Miroku who was already taking all this in with a grave look on his features.

"I woke up suddenly just now." He stopped momentarily; unsure of how to say what he had felt, or rather, had not felt.

"And I…I couldn't feel her at all." Inuyasha's pained eyes looked up at Kaede's.

"It's like…it's as if she was suddenly cut off from me!" He slammed his fist into the ground, angry with himself. "I can't feel anything from her right now!" His voice grew softer, afraid.

"I…I don't even know if she's…if she's alive now…"

Everyone in the room except Inuyasha gasped in horror at what he had just said.

Smiling weakly, face a very pale white, Sango put a hand on his shoulder, and his whole posture stiffened.

"She wouldn't die on you just like that!" Inuyasha turned slightly to look at her, unshed tears of pain held back, hoping. "You two have a great bond right?" Her voice quivered. "So she wouldn't just let go of that! Please, Inuyasha, reach into that dream world and find her!"

"You can't let go of her now…" Sango's voice died to a whisper; tears fell from her eyes and stained the floor, weeping silently, as Miroku moved over to comfort her.

"I…" Inuyasha started, but was promptly interrupted by Miroku.

"Inuyasha, we all know that Kagome-sama loves you very much; Sango's right, she wouldn't let go of the bond that both of you share, but maybe she's experiencing a horrendous pain from Kikyo's curse." Miroku said gravely, cradling the crying Sango in his arms.

"You are the only link left to Kagome-sama now. Please bring her back to us."

"Inuyasha, please bring Kagome home to us!" Shippo added, grasping Inuyasha's sleeve tightly, tears streaking down his petite face, eyes red.

The faint flicker of hope started to grow in Inuyasha's heart as he looked around the room at everybody, and smiled slightly, albeit tiredly.

"Minna…ore wa…ganbarimasu!"

It didn't matter to him that he didn't directly get an answer to his statement; he knew that they all believed that he would be able to do something somehow, and his heart somehow warmed even as Miroku turned his head to hide his tears, Sango cried harder and Shippo wailed louder.

Kaede however had stayed quiet the whole time.

"Inuyasha." He was slightly startled when her quiet voice pierced through the noise.

"Aa." Inuyasha acknowledged her.

"I'll prepare a sleeping potion for you now so that you can sleep right away; you'll reach the dream world in no time at all." She got up to get some herbs and a bowl to crush the herbs in.

"…Arigatou, baba." Was his only reply.

Soon enough, Inuyasha drank the potion, and fell asleep almost immediately, entering the dream world, as Kaede, Miroku, Sango and Shippo watched on.

*Start dream sequence*

_He could hear her voice calling his name, echoing in the misty fog in front of him. Spotting her silhouette out of the corner of his eye, he rushed towards her, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. He found her in curled up in a foetal position, eyes closed. He reached out to touch her skin tentatively. Kagome opened her eyes very slowly, as if any excessive movement might have taken all the strength from her. Which it might well have, in the condition that she was in. She smiled at him, not moving from her position and then winced. Inuyasha pulled her into his lap, trying his hardest not to hurt her in the least, determined to comfort her. _

_He stroked her hair softly, and she clung to his robe, her head on his lap._

_"Is something wrong, Kagome?"_

_She started to shake her head, and then stopped. _He's got a right to know_, she thought to herself._

_Sighing, while valiantly trying to hold back the ever-present tears that threatened to fall, she muttered into his coat, "Yea…everything's wrong really. I went to the hospital today to get my report back."_

_She felt his arms around her shoulders tighten fractionally, almost unnoticeably, "The doctor said that…that I had a tumour in my lungs."_

_"Tumour?" Inuyasha was clueless, but he already didn't like the sound of that._

_"Excess growth of cells. It takes up the space and nutrients of other normal living cells, and continues to grow larger and larger."_

_He said nothing. He didn't know what he could say to her; how could he? Tell her that everything would be alright? He sure didn't think that he'd convince her at all with that. _Just say "Oh, ok"?_ He squashed that as soon as he thought of it. _This is absolutely ridiculous! _He didn't want to believe in what he'd just heard from Kagome._ How could this happen to her? Surely the gods can't be this cruel, to bring such an early death on a maiden so young, with a future to look forward to…a future with me? _He felt as if all life was being ripped away from him, bit by bit, so as to make it as painful as possible, and he was right. Biting his lip, and saying what he knew were meaningless words, he whispered to her._

_"I'm so sorry, Kagome."_

_She looked up at him, slightly shocked._

_"It's not your fault at all, Inuyasha." A small genuine smile lit her face. "As long as you're here, I don't care about the pain."_

_His heart wrenched._ But I do! I hate to see you like this! I don't want to see you suffer! I can't to just look on, while you're suffering in pain! _Distress and worry_ _encircled his thoughts, as he just held her close. _I brought this on you, didn't I? If I hadn't come to see you here, you wouldn't be ill, wouldn't be on the edge of **dying**! If only I never told you at all, then Kikyo wouldn't have put the curse on you, on the well, if only…if only… 

_He suddenly saw the answer clearly in front of his eyes._

_"Kagome…"_

_"Mmm?" she looked up at him, only to feel her lips smothered by his, and all she could feel was the softness of his lips, and the warmth of his embrace; it overrode the pain in her abdomen, and she wished that it would never end. She was surprised when she tasted the tears on her lips, and her eyes opened, to find tears streaming down Inuyasha's face, and she broke the kiss._

_Holding his face in her hands, she kissed his tears away, and held him to her heart. He clung onto her like a drowning man would to a piece of driftwood, and buried his face into her clothes._

_His felt as if his heart had been pierced with a thousand needles; he couldn't believe that he was going to let her go so soon now that he'd found her, but it was the only way. If it meant her life would be spared, he would sacrifice the physical and mental bond he had with her, even if it would hurt them both deeply. _As long as she lives! I only want her to live! Even if…even if she learns to love someone else! Kami-sama, anything as long as she lives! _The tears continued to fall down his face as he cried harder, his sobs getting louder and louder. He lifted his face up to hers suddenly, and kissed her desperately, his tears mingling with hers._

I wish he wouldn't blame it all on himself! _Kagome thought_. I can't change this, he can't change this! And I would go through anything for him! Anything! As long as I have the warmth of his embrace, as long as I can see him, as long as he loves me back!

_They held onto each other like that for a while, desperately kissing, running hands over each other, one for everlasting memory's sake, one for the sake of knowing_ _that her lover was actually there with her, even in this dreamscape land._

_Inuyasha pulled away from Kagome suddenly, stood up and walked out of her hands' reach, turning his back to her._

_"Inuyasha?" There was confusion in her voice, as she reached out to him._

_"…We can't meet anymore." His voice seemed distant to her ears, and it jarred her out of the cloud of confusion._

_"What?" Disbelief, shock, pain.  He didn't need to turn around to see the emotions on her face._

_He was silent, afraid that if he said anything, he wouldn't be able to carry out this act of pain._

_Kagome laughed weakly. "You're joking right? It's only to make me laugh right?"_

_More silence from Inuyasha._

_She stopped laughing, her voice so soft that if he was human he would never have heard it._

_"Ne, Inuyasha? Ne?"_

_He closed his eyes tightly, and his nails dug into his palms so hard that they started to draw blood._

_"I love you Kagome!" The words that came out were choked. "We can't meet again! Not like this again! …I…don't want you to die!" He whirled around to face her._

_"I told you, Inuyasha! It's not about the pain!" She winced as the said pain started acting up in her ribs again._

_He started towards her when he saw her wince, but stopped himself before he could move any further. "Ne, Kagome, I think that if I never see you again, the pain will stop right? And then, that tumour thing will go away, right? So you won't die! You won't die!" he rubbed his eyes furiously, tears starting down his cheeks again._

_"Inuyasha…" She was speechless; could only feel the whirlwind of emotions that surrounded her. She ran towards him._

_"Sayonara Kagome.... Sayonara...Hontou ni gomen ne..." He smiled sadly, and then he disappeared into the mist. _

_As she reached his figure, everything seemed to have gone into slow motion, as she reached for him, and he disappeared right in front of her eyes, that sad smile again. Time returned as she fell onto the 'floor' of the dreamscape, not painfully as the ground wasn't hard; her heart, however, was a different matter, as she burst into a fresh round of tears; she felt it shatter like glass, into a million shards, never to be put together again… _

A/N: o.O That was a really long chapter now. X.X ack, you all probably lost track of this story all together, since I haven't updated for more than a year and a half now! . Lots of stuff has happened lately, but I'm finally back to finish it off. 

So…that was quite a tearjerker wasn't it? Gomen to have taken forever to throw that chapter out. . you all hate me now for doing that to them, don't you . just you wait until you see the next chapter. X.X ack, I can imagine all the flaming. As for what happens next, stay tuned! Want to know what the Jap. phrases mean? 

1) "Minna…ore wa…ganbarimasu!" – Inuyasha = "everyone, I'll do my best!" 

2) kami-sama = God 

3) "sayonara" = goodbye (as in, the forever type of goodbye _) 

4) "…hontou ni gomen ne.." = "I'm really sorry" 

_ Once again, gomen nasai for taking so long! I'm not sure whether the next chapter will be the last one or not, it depends on the length; I'll alter it when the time comes, but for now, just wait for the next one to come out! 

In the next chapter of "When you're gone…" 

Chapter 5: Lost Hope? 

_"No…it can't be!"_

_"I can't take this anymore …someone…anyone…kill me please…"_

_"You've become so pathetic…Inuyasha"_


	7. Lost Hope

Chapter 5 : Lost Hope? 

Disclaimer: …Mendou kusaaaaai yo! _ By now you should all know that I hold no rights whatsoever to Inuyasha, and the only thing that is mine is Kurozaki-sensei and this here fanfiction storyline. 

A/N: Waaai! Here is the next chapter, I started on this one as soon as I finished the last chapter. Yup, another depressing one _ I have no idea why I write stuff like this, ack. I don't really have much idea about what happens when people get a lung tumour, so any medics who are reading this fic, sorry if it's wrong. Many thanks to everyone who reviewed! As usual, anything in italics are thoughts. Enjoy! 

SylverAngel: Yeah, I'm trying to finish this as soon as I can too! ^^;;; 

Niasdreams: Ahhhh, hontou ni gomeeeeeeeeeen ne! _ I know that update took forever -_-; but yeah, at least I finished it finally! XD 

Zel no miko: o_O noooo! 

Anonymous person (???????): XD I'm glad you're enjoying it! Stay tuned for the next chapter! 

Ryuuzaki: wow, do you really think my story is that good? XD Thanx! ^^;; I keep thinking that it might be getting too repetitive or something for everyone who's reading! 

DC: Yup, that's what I'm doing right now! Next chapter eh? Should be about a week or so from now ^^ Don't worry! I'll definitely finish it this year (lol!) 

Anime-Guera: XD I'm glad ya liked it! Next chapter is the big bang ending :p

Lireal: I know ;_; my imagination just keeps running away with me _ I don't know why I'm writing stuff like this!

starfire: Yup, yup! Last chapter will be up soon! ^^ 

------------------------------------------------------ 

The minute his eyes opened they knew something was up. 

"Inuyasha ---!" Miroku stopped in mid-sentence when Inuyasha sat up, his face revealing nothing, and promptly left the hut without saying a word, disappearing into the night. 

Shippo growled. "What is with that asshole! Kagome's in trouble and he still acts like a jerk! And we don't even know what happened to Kagome!" 

The little kitsune got up and made to follow Inuyasha out the door when Sango reached out an arm to stop him. He looked at her in surprise. 

"Shippo-chan, something must have happened in the dream world to both of them. There's nothing we can do right now, but wait for Inuyasha to tell us what happened." 

"But that's why I'm going after him!" Shippo exclaimed. 

Kaede spoke up. "He must be troubled at a time like this. Leave him be, Shippo." She frowned to herself. If I have guessed correctly, I would say that the reason that Inuyasha is like this is because he has decided never to see Kagome again! For the sake of trying to prevent the curse's effect.

She shook her head sadly. 

When Kagome opened her eyes again, she found herself staring up at a white ceiling. The hospital, she thought to herself. As if a dam had been released, the pain flooded through her body, and she gritted her teeth, trying to stop herself from shrieking loudly outright. Of course, the memories came rushing back too; both the mental and physical pain were overwhelming her and she could feel tears squeezed out of the corners of her eyes that were squeezed tightly shut. Whether the tears were because of the pain that rushed through her body or of the possibility of never seeing Inuyasha again was anybody's guess. 

She could hold the pain in no longer as she let out a loud shriek that sent all the doctors and nurses nearby rushing towards her room as the comforting darkness enveloped her and she blacked out. 

He jerked his head up suddenly; was that Kagome's voice he heard? The pain gnawed at his heart as he sat there in the rain: dull, lifeless. His eyes held no luster and he didn't care that he was a sitting duck to other youkai at this point. He had given up on his contact with Kagome, had just left her there in the dreamscape, the last time that he'd ever see her. When he came back from the dreamscape, he had felt empty, so empty, as if someone had taken out everything that was inside of him, and all that was left was the hollow shell. Which was probably just as well, because he had given up on his one and only beloved. Kagome. 

_Maybe now I should just die or something__,_ he thought to himself. _What's the point of living if I won't ever see, hold or even hear her voice again?_ His eyes seemed glued to the ground, as if it would have an answer for him. He hung his head, the platinum silver locks of hair clinging to his face as the rain poured down endlessly. 

He closed his eyes to the world, and as the rain continued to fall from the skies endlessly, he finally gave in to the pain that enveloped him, and the other consciousness took over. [1] 

Blood red eyes snapped open and they took in their surroundings with a quick glance. He snarled, the cold from the rain was finally starting to penetrate through his skin and leaped from the wet ground to the trees in a flash; he made his way to a somewhat dry, comfortable perch quickly and settled down to sleep. He'd stay here until the rain stopped, but after that, after that… 

He would hunt. 

This time when she woke up, her vision was filled with the worried faces of Souta, her grandfather, her mother, and also Kurozaki-sensei. She tried to sit up on the bed, propping herself up onto her elbows weakly. Souta and her mother were by her side at once, helping her up and puffing up the pillows so that she could lean back comfortably. A sad little smile graced Kagome's face. 

Kurozaki-sensei spoke up "We found you unconscious near that large tree by the shrine and brought you back here. You've been unconscious for 2 days" Averting his eyes he continued. "You shouldn't be running around like that in your condition." 

He promptly lost himself in his own thoughts. _Why does such a young girl have to suffer like this?_It was rather confusing to him that her condition could have gotten worse this quickly. According to what her mother and grandfather had told him, it was rather impossible that such a thing could have happened in two days, let alone a few weeks. _Could she possibly have been cursed then?_He sighed to himself shaking his head at such a thought. He wasn't a believer in such things, but it would have explained the same conditions that excavators who had opened lost Egyptian tombs had suffered. Sudden diseases, dying in less than a few months. _People had said that they were cursed._ But he wouldn't dwell on that now. What he wanted more than anything was to miraculously save the girl from all the pain that she was going through now as the tumour spread through her body. 

He looked back to the bed where Kagome was talking (or rather wasn't really talking) to her little brother, mother and grandfather. The girl in the bed looked so different to the one that he'd seen a few days earlier in his office. Before the tests had commenced she had looked so…alive, but now, now even her posture looked dead, and her eyes, her eyes were blank, faraway, as if she was in another realm already. If he had known better, he would have said that she looked ready to die, but this he kept silently to himself. 

Back on the bed, Kagome knew. Knew that despite Inuyasha's well-meaning sacrifice that the curse was still eating through her body like a parasite, and soon she'd be nothing more than a corpse. _And even if it did work, I'd have eventually lost it anyway. I don't know what was going through my brain when I decided to leave the Feudal Ages forever! _Bitter smile. _Well now you have what you wished for in the first place Kagome, huh? Just in a really twisted way._ She could feel nothing now. Didn't want to feel anything else unless it was connected to Inuyasha in someway. It was as if she was a druggie and Inuyasha was the drug that she had to have to survive. Another bitter smile graced her face. _And that's right too, in a twisted way._ The emotion of pain came creeping back slowly through the cloak of darkness that kept her emotionless and tears ran down her face in tiny rivulets without her making a sound and no matter how many times her mother and brother wiped them away, new ones came to replace them. Her heart clenched. _I wonder how he's doing now? _

His feet padded silently through the grass, still wet with the rain as he made his way towards the village. His red eyes flashed in the dark as he looked; left, right. The coast was clear. There was a smell coming from one particular hut that had him fascinated. He would find out what that smell was. Moving closer to the hut he could hear the sound of a woman crying, the smell of tears salty. There were three others in the hut that he could sense as well, and they were sleeping, but barely so. The smell grew stronger. 

The sound of the door being smashed open woke Miroku, Kaede and Shippo up from the restless sleep that they had been enveloped in, and they saw the silhouette of Inuyasha against the light of the crescent moon, snarling at them. 

"Inuyasha?! What on earth are you doing?!" Miroku exclaimed. 

His eyes flickered to them in reply, and they all gasped in shock. 

Inuyasha's eyes were red. Which meant that right now, he didn't recognize any of them, and in his current state, could actually kill all of them, without his human side knowing about it, until after. His eyes flickered to the object behind them; Kagome's knapsack. That's where the smell was coming from. He snarled at them and dived towards it. Still in shock, they stood there, unmoving, as he raised his claws to batter them down. 

A black blur moved in front of his eyes and suddenly it was Sango, who stood before the bloodthirsty demon, brandishing her Hiraikotsu in front of his face. Still, Inuyasha's eyes were red, and in a flash, he had her by her throat, lifting her up off the ground as she struggled against him. Breaking from their shocked positions behind Sango, Shippo immediately leaped onto Inuyasha's hand, biting hard; Miroku's staff beat onto Inuyasha's other arm, trying to weaken it so that he would let go of Sango; Kaede could only back away against the wall, unable to fight because of old age and because she was weaponless. 

Getting slightly irritated with all the ruckus that the kitsune brat and the human male were causing, Inuyasha flung his right arm and sent the kitsune flying across the room where he hit the wall and lost consciousness immediately. Still keeping his stranglehold on Sango, he kicked Miroku in the stomach and sent him sprawling on the floor, gasping for breath. His attention focused back onto the struggling Sango as his grip tightened on her neck. 

_Stop it!!_ The voice came from nowhere and everywhere as it echoed in his mind, and in his confusion, he dropped Sango onto the floor. Sango rubbed her aching neck as she watched Inuyasha in front of her. His hands were covering his ears as if he was hearing things, and when his head snapped up suddenly, she was shocked to see that one eye was red while the other was amber-coloured. His hand reached out towards her, clawing the air as his eyes continued to change colour and his other hand was clawing at his chest where his heart would be. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out, and Sango could only stare. Suddenly collapsing in front of her, Sango hurriedly scuttled away. He lay still. Kaede moved from the wall towards Sango. [2] 

Inuyasha opened his eyes suddenly and stared around at his surroundings. Kaede's hut. _What am I doing here?_ His head throbbed in pain and his hands balled into fists. Looking around, he saw Sango and Kaede cowering by the wall near to him; to the left of the room, Miroku was in an unceremonious black heap, while Shippo was lying on the floor to the far right. 

"What's going on?-----" His sentence was cut off as he watched Sango and Kaede shrink away from him. _Why are they----?_

It all seemed so clear to him suddenly. "No…it can't be!!" He had lost control again and from the looks of their faces and the room, had tried to kill them. _Why is_ _ this happening now when I have more than enough to deal with?!_ His thoughts were anguished. He fled through the open doorway of the hut; he couldn't bear to see them look at him like that. Couldn't bear that he could actually have lost control and had gone after his friends. At that very time when his outwardly appearance was that of his demon form, his human consciousness, his human self, was buried deep within himself. He had been drowning within the black pain, the separation with Kagome filling his mind, overwhelming him, and he was running, running towards her form in his mind, but everytime his fingers reached out to touch her, she disappeared, only to reappear again further in front of him, smiling, laughing at him. And so the chase for her continued, so close, yet so far. 

Then Kagome disappeared one last time. 

And Kikyo was in her place. 

Inuyasha had gone into a mad rage then, and he strangled Kikyo hard; Kikyo who he could touch, could hurt; Kagome who he could not. Kikyo struggled in his grasp, and his grip tightened harder and harder, close to the point of breaking her neck. 

But then he heard Kagome's voice. 

"**_Stop it!!_**" 

And he came back to his senses. 

Only to find that there was only Sango at his feet, rubbing her aching neck. 

And they were afraid of him. His own friends. It added another bleeding scar to his already battered heart. [3] 

She didn't know how long she lay there. Her eyes stared blindly at the ceiling, the machines hooked up to her beeped, the solution in her IV drip plopping slowly into her veins. She could feel nothing; it was as if she was already dead to the world. Everyday, she saw faces: Kurozaki-sensei, Souta, Mum, Grandpa, numerous nurses and junior doctors. Everybody except the one person she really wanted to see. Inuyasha. He would never show up in front of her again, and she refused to sleep and return to the dreamscape that was so bleak without him, not to mention the nightmares that she had either. Nothing mattered to her now that he was gone. She had already lost hope in ever getting better again. Only the pain assured her that she was alive. Mentally, the pain of losing Inuyasha when she had just found him trapped her in her own mind. Physically, the tumour was killing her inside, bit by bit, the white hot flash of pain in her abdomen the only sign to her that she even had a body. 

And she was tired of it. So tired of it. No meaning to life, no feelings, no emotions, just pure…nothing. And the pain of course. Definitely the pain. More than anything, she knew that she would die anyway. The doctors didn't even know what exactly was wrong with her so how could they possibly find a cure for this 'disease' that she had? _More like a curse._ The irony of it all didn't escape her. 

Just a whisper to herself, she sat up weakly in her bed slowly, limbs weak, eyes staring now at the white, blank wall opposite her. 

"I can't take this anymore …someone…anyone…kill me please…" 

His surroundings flew past him; all sense of time was lost to him, he could feel his legs tiring, but still he went on. Inuyasha didn't even know where he was going, his legs were on autopilot and all he did was keep running. Only this time he wasn't chasing after Kagome. The thought of her brought the pain back again, but still he kept running. 

He came to a sudden halt; everything around him was in pitch-darkness. [4] _What is this place?_Turning around and around, all he could see was black. He could feel the pain in his limbs now, and he felt liking collapsing right there and then, but decided against it. Noticing what looked like a human figure in the distance that hadn't been there before, he moved slowly towards it. 

As he got closer he noticed that it was the figure of a woman, and she had her back towards him. Long black hair flowed down her back and she was dressed in a red outfit. A thought flashed through Inuyasha's head. _Maybe she knows what exactly is going on here. Guess I'll just ask._

"Hey. Woman." As rude as ever. 

She turned around and he was frozen to the spot. **_What is she doing here?!_**

"Why, if it isn't Inuyasha." 

The woman was none other than Kikyo. 

Anger and hate seethed through him. "What the fuck are you doing here Kikyo?! You're supposed to be dead!" 

She smiled icily at him. "Well, I'm right in front of your eyes, am I not?" 

His hands were at her neck in a flash. 

"If that's the case then I'll just kill you again, bitch!! How dare you try to rip Kagome and me apart, you fucking bitch!!" 

The smile was still on her face as his grip tightened. 

"Well, if I can't have you then no one else can. She was just another obstacle." 

"Why you!!!" He felt his blood boil and then squeezed her neck tighter. 

"Let's see what you make of this." 

He was close to breaking her neck now. 

Snap. 

He let her figure slump to the floor and prepared to make short work of her corpse by shredding it. But when he looked at the face again… 

Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror. _It can't be!!_

Lifeless blue orbs stared up at him, never to see again. 

"Ka…Kagome…I…this can't be real right?" He cradled the corpse in his arms, his entire body shaking. 

"Please wake up…this is just some trick that you're playing right? Right?!" Anguished tears spilled down his face; guilt, pain, and most of all, remorse flooded through him. 

"Please wake up and tell me! Tell me…tell me that I…that I haven't killed you!" 

He saw the blood on her clothes now. The blood on his claws now. The blood on his hands. Blood that he had spilled. Kagome's blood. 

"I killed her." The sentence uttered the reality. 

His emotions were mixing up, hysteria overriding his mind as his head started to throb painfully again. The tears were still falling as he clutched his head, the blood staining the dirtied platinum hair. He fell to his knees. He could take the pain no more. 

"**_KAGOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!_**" 

Red eyes opened and glared into feminine amber ones. Sesshomaru glared back; he had been rather unnerved to find his younger halfling brother lying unconscious on the ground. _And in his demon form now, no less.__ And where were those friends of his anyway?_ He sniffed the air. The scent of pure anger and hatred was in the air, and it was coming from Inuyasha. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. _Something's not quite right here._ He ducked as Inuyasha lunged at him, evading him easily. _I can't smell that girl around either. Must be something to do with her and his human friends._

"Hmph." 

He just ducked the other swipes that Inuyasha gave him easily. _Not like him to keep his mouth shut and not spout obscenities._Ducking underneath Inuyasha's arm, Sesshomaru straightarmed Inuyasha's back, and sent him offbalance; he barely caught himself before his face kissed the ground. 

_What is this? His fighting is terrible. Something rather devastating must have occurred to reduce him to this kind of state._ Sesshomaru quashed the emotion of worry that was showing its ugly head. _Not that I care anyway._

"You've become so pathetic…Inuyasha." 

A/N: -_- Argh. Finally finished it. Had some writer's block, and the story love to take off on its own as always, and I had to put the storyline straight-ish. If you get my meaning. If you've just read through the chapter and you're getting confused, let me explain it to you. 

[1] Basically, Inuyasha lost it because of all the trauma that he was going through and his demon side took over. His human consciousness was, at that time, buried deep within his soul, trying to take some of the emotional pain away. 

[2] While Inuyasha's human consciousness was dormant, the demon part of him went on autopilot really, and it was the smell of Kagome that actually dragged him back to Kaede's hut. Even when Inuyasha isn't really being Inuyasha, he just can't seem to get her out of his system. 

[3] During the time that Inuyasha was in his lil' world, so to speak, the image of Kagome kept appearing in front of him, and he kept chasing it. But then Kikyo 'showed up' and remember, she was the one who kept them apart and put a curse on Kagome? Of course he's still pissed. So he strangles her. At that exact same time, he's in Kaede's hut strangling Sango. Kagome's voice that he heard? He might have realized unconsciously that he was actually strangling Sango instead of Kikyo, but his mind just 'inputted' it into Kagome's voice so that he'd notice what he was actually doing. Hey, strange, but it's my fic, so my rules :p 

[4] *cough* Eh, don't worry, he didn't kill Kagome in here. He's just kinda slipped into unconscious mode again, and he's living his worst nightmare (literally). Even though it isn't real, he just doesn't know because of all the overlying emotions that overwhelm him, which eventually, leads to him losing control again. 

In real world time though, he actually collapsed, and Sesshomaru came upon him, just as he woke up in demon form. Inuyasha's pretty much a gone case now. 

Weeeeeeeeell, thanx again for all the reviews and everything. Stay tuned for the next chapter, because it's the last one!! 

In the next chapter of "When you're gone…" 

Chapter 6: To Death and Beyond – Together forever 

_"Goodbye, O cruel world…"_

_"…Thank you…"_


	8. To Death and Beyond Together Forever

Chapter 6: To Death and Beyond – Together forever 

Disclaimer: Read the last couple of chapters, it's all there. I can't be bothered anymore. 

A/N: Well people, this is the last part of 'When you're gone...' and I hope that you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I really am sorry that it took so long to finish, but I kept getting writer's block and then there was a heap of schoolwork to deal with. Btw, the fight between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru doesn't involve any swords, so that's why they aren't fighting with Tessaiga or the Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru, however, *does* have a sword (which you will see put to use soon in this chapter!). Sesshoumaru is a bit OOC here, but just bear with me, kay? The song 'Here with Me' comes from the Roswell soundtrack, and ta-dah, does *not* belong to me! Thoughts are in italics as usual. Sit back and enjoy! ...Should I have an epilogue? R&R please! Thank yous are at the bottom! 

Her feet made no sound as she staggered more than walked, down the silent hospital corridor. For some unknown reason, there had been no nurses or doctors inside or around her room, and her family had been called of to some very important occasion, and she had climbed out of bed and had made her way out of the room. 

_I just…want to be near him…Inuyasha…_Kagome found herself wanting to be by the Goshimboku tree, where, in the Feudal Age, she had released Inuyasha from his 'prison'. It was the only thing in her world now that served as a reminder for him; he visited her dreams no more, nor could the well be used again. 

Weakly making her way towards the lift, she used the walls of the corridor as her supports. She stepped into the lift after looking around quickly for signs of other people; the doors slid close silently as she slumped against the wall. She gritted her teeth as a wave of pain washed over her body momentarily, and relaxed again after it left her body. There was a soft 'ding' as the lift announced its arrival on the ground floor and Kagome stepped out of the lift. As if in a trance, she exited the hospital, barefoot, and clothed only in the bleak white nightgown. If anyone had seen her on that fateful night, they would have said that she looked possessed, for her eyes held only a void of emptiness; the look of one who had accepted her death, and who was moving by her own will towards it. 

~*~

He had spilled her blood. 

And now he was running again, wiping the continuous tears falling from his eyes, and it seemed as if history had repeated itself again. He could hear the voices now. Whispering coldly, silently, like a silver knife against paper. _ "__It's your fault" "You killed her" "She's dead now" "Bring her back to us!" "I hate you, Inuyasha! You killed her!" _

He collapsed to his knees in the darkness, sobbing uncontrollably. "I only…I only…_wanted to kill Kikyo_." _Never Kagome!!!_ A soft whisper. "Never Kagome…" 

Inuyasha was trapped within himself; it was a recurring nightmare to him, as he saw himself killing Kikyo over and over again, only to find out in the end that it was Kagome that he had killed by his own hands. And he was running, running from the reality that Kagome's life had been ended by his own hands, refusing to believe that it was actually true, running from the guilt, fear, pain, shock, only to find that there was nowhere to run, and that he was trapped in this place, to keep killing her forever, again and again, snapping her neck. 

While _she_ smiled coldly, enjoying his self-torture from a distance. "My work is done here. I can finally leave now." She said no one in particular, and then vanished into thin air. 

~*~

Sesshoumaru dodged and weaved in and out of Inuyasha's attacks easily, moving only at the last second. _This…is getting rather…boring_. He mused to himself. _Why should I even bother trying to dodge? In the state that he's in, he'll never even be able to land a scratch on me._ He sighed. So much for fascinating entertainment. He walked away gracefully, turning his back to Inuyasha, moving only ever so slightly so that Inuyasha's swipes never made contact with any part of his body. It hadn't even been five minutes, and then he heard a thud on the ground behind him. Curiousity getting the better of him, Sesshoumaru turned around, only to find that Inuyasha was clutching his head in his hands, seemingly in very much pain, and incoherent growls were coming from him. Inuyasha was kneeling on the ground, and the noises he was making were getting louder and louder. Sesshoumaru winced slightly and covered his ears as Inuyasha screamed inhumanly; it was a terrifying and anguished sound, and now Sesshoumaru was getting slightly worried that his halfling brother had indeed, lost the plot, so to say. 

And he couldn't have been more shocked to find that Inuyasha's eyes were changing colour non-stop from amber to red and back again. He couldn't believe that eyes could seem so blank, and so filled with emotion at the same time. In Inuyasha's eyes, he had seen the look of someone who had completely and utterly lost his mind; he had seen grief and pain and hatred. 

_ Is this…really Inuyasha? I would have never imagined that he could be like this_. The reality shocked him to the bone. 

Inuyasha's head snapped up suddenly, and this time, his eyes were completely red. His movements were much faster, and he snarled as Sesshoumaru barely dodged his moves. _His demon blood has completely taken over!_ Thoughts ran through Sesshomaru's mind endlessly as he whipped his face to the left before Inuyasha's claws could kiss his cheek. _And he's faster than ever! _ Inuyasha lunged again, and this time, Sesshoumaru's neck was left with a shallow cut. Sesshoumaru huffed, getting slightly irritated with his half brother. _Shit! At this rate, he really will be able to deal some formidable damage to me, and I can't let that happen!_ Sesshomaru was so lost in his thoughts that he barely noticed Inuyasha's next attack. 

The claws whizzed straight towards his neck.

~*~

Kagome felt as if she was drifting like a cloud; her feet were on auto-pilot and her mind was blank. The icy cold night wind played at the thin nightdress, snatching it this way and that, almost pulling it off her body. Any other normal human being would have felt the cold penetrate right through their bones, but Kagome was lost to the world of the living now; she was so much more like a wraith than a human, given the circumstances that she was in. Her skin was turning almost blue because of the cold, and her bare feet were bloodied by walking so much; her house was quite a ways from the hospital, but yet, none of this seemed to register. It was as if she had overcome pain, and maybe she had. The pain that she had gone through not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally was probably enough to fill millions of lifetimes, and the depth of her pain was bottomless. The Kagome who had been so boisterous and upbeat while traveling in the Feudal times with Inuyasha seemed to be a faraway lifetime from the wraith-like Kagome who trudged onwards like a robot towards her ultimate goal. _Death. It will be my eternal peace... Without Inuyasha, I have no reason, no reason at all to live._ A bitter smile defiled her features. _Besides...I don't want to die like an invalid when the tumour finally spreads itself throughout my whole body. If I must die, I won't allow it to be because of Kikyo's curse; I would rather that I be the one to end my life instead. _As she moved on forward in the falling snow towards her ultimate resting place, some part of her mind somehow acknowledged that this was the last journey home that she would ever make. And after that...after that...it would all be an oblivion. The world around her blurred, cars whizzing by on the highway, too busy, too occupied to notice the wraith of a girl haunting the pavement. It no longer mattered to her; no longer seemed to matter to the universe, that her short life, like a flickering candle, would be blown out today. 

_I didn't hear you leave, I wonder how am I still here,  
_

As Kagome moved along brokenly on the pavement, she thought she saw a familiar figure in a red haori and hakama walk past her in the corner of her eyes. Her eyes widened as the figure brushed past her and continued walking. (1) The silver hair danced in the wind as he turned his head slightly, amber eyes glowing with love as he smiled at her, a hand reaching out towards her. Kagome couldn't believe her eyes as she stared at the figure in front of her.

"_Inuyasha?_" Her whisper barely carried over the wind, her voice incredulous. He returned her question with a smile, and beckoned towards, her, starting to move forward again.

"Inuyasha, wait!" She protested as he walked away from her, figure moving towards the mist, and her tired feet moved after him. "Come back!" 

He turned again, grinning, and stood there waiting for her. As she reached out to touch him, the figure dissolved between her fingers, and she bit back a gasp, only to see him reappear a few yards in front of her. Her heart soared again as she saw him grinning at her, and she moved as fast as her feet could take her. 

_I don't want to move a thing, it might change my memory_

The chasing game continued, and every time Kagome tried to touch Inuyasha, he disappeared, only to reappear again further in front of her. She was panting now, her breath evident; the white puffs coming out of her mouth as she tried to catch her breath. The pain in her abdomen suddenly struck, threatening to take away her consciousness, but she fought hard against it, pale, weak hands hard against the pavement, face twisted into a painful grimace. She looked up to see that the Inuyasha figure was hovering closeby again, eyes worried as he peered at her from between his silvery fringe of hair. Getting up from the pavement slowly, she saw that he was walking ahead of her again, and as she followed him, she remembered many of the times that they spent together.

_Oh I am what I am, I'll do what I want, but I can't hide  
I won't go, I won't sleep, I can't breathe, until you're resting here with me  
I won't leave, I can't hide, I cannot be, until you're resting here with me  
_

She remembered the first time he had changed into his human form, all violet eyes and long black flowing hair; falling asleep in her lap while trying to fight off the poison. Remembered him telling her that she smelt nice.

She remembered him blushing slightly when he told her to let him protect her. 

Remembered feeling his watchful eyes on her as he stayed awake, while everyone else slept at night.

Remembered all the times that he had saved her life; all the little arguments that they used to have. 

Remembered realizing that she had fallen in love with him when she had witnessed the kiss between him and Kikyo. Remembered her heart aching, the pieces falling apart as she ran from the scene.

Remembered the warm and secure feeling of being wrapped up in his arms; of clinging to his back as he soared through the trees swiftly.

Remembered the shock of seeing him in his demon form, fearing for his sanity.

Remembered the feel of his embrace, the unique smell that was essentially _him_, and nothing else.

Remembering the scream of her name on his lips when she plummeted through the well.

Remembered crying, thinking that she would never see him again.

Remembered telling him that she loved him, and him telling her that he loved her.

The memories continued to assault her mind as Inuyasha danced out of her reach; always so close, yet so far. 

_I don't want to call my friends, they might wake me from this dream  
And I can't leave this bed, risk forgetting all that's been_

She remembered all the smiles and laughter that she had shared with Sango; all the pervertedness of Miroku; the motherly feeling of looking up Shippou; the knowledgable lessons she'd learned from Kaede; the jealousy and anger, and sometimes hate she felt whenever Kikyou appeared; the slight fear of Sesshoumaru; the warmth and acceptance of her own family; the warmth and acceptance from all the villagers; the sleepless nights spent crying over Inuyasha; the determination to win against Naraku; the sadness of having to leave behind the Feudal Ages...

But most of all, she remembered Inuyasha's love for her.

  
  
_Oh I am what I am, I'll do what I want but I can't hide  
I won't go, I won't sleep, I can't breathe until you're resting here with me  
I won't leave, I can't hide, I cannot be, until you're resting here with me._

All at once she found herself in front of the Goshimboku tree at her house; the Inuyasha figure seemed to have disappeared, but deja vu assailed Kagome's senses as she remembered the first time that she saw Inuyasha pinned to the Goshimboku tree. Eyes closed in what looked like a peaceful sleep; slight frown that marred his features slightly, but overall made him look more handsome; the slightly pointed, fluffy ears on top of his head that looked so soft to the touch; the platinum-white hair that blew gently in the breeze...

And the arrow that had pinned him to the tree.

The fatigue of her reckless journey caught up to her, and her legs gave out underneath her, leaving her to collapse in front of the ancient tree. She felt tired...so very tired. She wanted to shed her body, and just let her soul fly free, unburdened, so that she could be with Inuyasha once again. A thousand emotions assailed her senses, and the pain struck once again, this time causing her to cough heavily into her hand. She wasn't too shocked to see the blood that she had coughed up; she had been expecting this for a very long time. Blood was spattered on the thin nightdress she wore, and she absently fingered the chain on which she wore the Shikon no Tama on with her clean hand. It glowed a bright pink, and she narrowed her eyes against the fluorescent light. 

Only to find that she was no longer holding the Shikon no Tama, but her hand was clutching a glowing arrow. The Shikon no Tama was nowhere to be seen.

Kagome smiled sadly to herself, knowing that somehow, the Shikon no Tama had fulfilled the one, and only wish that she had. 

To die and be with Inuyasha.

Her voice was lost to the wind as she whispered the last words she would ever say in this life.

"_Goodbye, O cruel world…_"

And she plunged the arrow into her heart.

~*~

Sesshoumaru stared down and the hand that was poised to tear his jugular out of his neck, barely daring to breath. Inuyasha's hand trembled slightly, as if he was fighting some internal battle within himself, and when Sesshoumaru met Inuyasha's anguished eyes, he was shocked to see that Inuyasha's eyes were flashing amber and red, one colour pushing away the other, only to be replaced by the other. What shocked him more was the unspoken plea in Inuyasha's eyes, that was present along with his conflicting emotions of guilt, anger and hatred. If he looked closer...he could have _sworn_ that that plea in Inuyasha's eyes plainly said...

'Please kill me.'

The moment was over as soon as it had begun, and Sesshoumaru let his knees drop beneath him, allowing him to slump quickly to the ground, barely avoiding a death at Inuyasha's claws as he heard the hard _thunk_ of Inuyasha's claws being embedded into the tree behind him. Sesshoumaru hurriedly got to his feet and moved a good distance away from Inuyasha as the latter pulled his claws out of the thick bark of the tree. Holding one hand to his head, and snarling, Inuyasha advanced towards Sesshoumaru; his eyes were still changing colour, but tears were streaming down his face. At the sight of Inuyasha's tears, Sesshoumaru finally realized what his brother really wanted.

His voice was hoarse. "Just this once, I'll grant you what you want, little brother."

Eyes completely red all of a sudden, Inuyasha lunged towards Sesshoumaru.

The older youkai closed his eyes as he brought his thrust his sword upwards forcefully. The sound of blood dripping to the floor and the gurgle of a voice made him open his eyes again to see Inuyasha impaled on his sword, one hand outstretched towards him. Sesshoumaru pulled his sword out of Inuyasha's body, and the latter crumpled to the ground; one hand clutched at the bloody wound, eyes closed in pain, while blood trickled from one side of his mouth down his face. 

The hanyou opened his eyes, and this time, they were fully amber. He smiled painfully at his brother, and uttered two words.

"._..Thank you..._"

His eyelids slid over his eyes, and his whole body went limp as death took over.

_Kagome...wait for me..._

~*~

She cracked her eyes open to the golden glow around her. The pain from her body was gone, and she felt so much better than she had ever felt in the past few months. Kagome got to her feet, looking around her surroundings. Everything was shrouded in mist, and she had no idea where she was, but somehow, she felt as if she belonged here... Silver light assailed her eyes, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the blinding light. When she opened her eyes this time, she saw a shadowed figure making its way towards her in the mist. She clutched her hands nervously as the figure moved closer towards her. Kagome blinked slowly, not knowing if she was truly seeing who she was seeing, or if she was just hallucinating.

The mist lifted, and they stood there, staring at each other.

He was the first one to smile, and promptly wrapped her in his warm embrace.

She stood there in shock for a second, and then returned his hug, happy tears flowing from her eyes.

"It's you...it really_ is_ you..."

He smiled into her hair, then pulled back slightly to look into her deep chocolate brown eyes.

"This time, we'll be together. Forever."

And he sealed her lips with a kiss.

Notes:

(1) She's hallucinating here. Gee... I mean, who wouldn't right? She's not exactly in her right mind; her beloved is never gonna see her again, and she feels like dying. I wouldn't be surprised if I did the same thing if I was in her situation.

A/N: w00t!!! *wipes sweat off forehead* It's finally done! 'When you're gone' is finally finished! PLEASE, please, pleaaase tell me if you want an epilogue to that, to tie up all the loose ends as to what goes on down on earth after the both of them have died. I sure wouldn't mind writing it =) Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story: Sango-chan, Annie, WaterAngel, fire_gal13, akai risu, Crystalline, Demonica, Ami-chan, Talon skydragon, Lin (:p), T, Jurei, Inukice, Goddess of Death, Ranko-chan, kristy, mokuren, Esther Tan, Miroku, Akara, Laura-chan, SylverAngel, niasdreams, zel no miko, anonymous person (?), Ryuuzaki, DC, Anime-Guera, Lireal, starfire, madeleine, Goddess Pluto, anonymous person #2, murasaki ayame, Matthew Hughes, anonymous person #3 (lol), anonymous person #4, ~InU-cHaN~ and Kay Kylo. Thank you all for reading my fic, and I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks for bothering to review; you've all driven me to continue writing (^^;; although, yes, I *do* know that I've taken waaaay too long to write this whole thing up). All the support has done great things to my ego (no, it's not all that inflated :p), and thank you again for supporting me. I'm *really* sorry to all the Kikyo fans out there; I know that I've turned her into a complete bitch here *wince*; sorry also to all the Sesshoumaru fans, I know he's really OOC here, but well, for the fic's sake. I know that Rin and Jaken should be around, and that they should *really* be fighting with the Tessaiga and the Tenseiga, but @_@ swordfights are waay to complicated for me, and I already had a lot of trouble trying to write the fight scene. This fic was started 2 years ago, and well, I only watched up to episode 20, before Sango and Rin showed up, and before Sesshoumaru got the Tenseiga. Sorry if it's all far from the storyline as it is now, but yiii~ keeping up with 100+ episodes is murder. It's been a very long 2 years, and the fic has finally come to an end. I have no idea if I'll ever write another Inuyasha fanfic (@_@ this took forever! yes?), but presently, I'm working on a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic and it's sidestory, so please please support me *gives everyone Inuyasha plushies as bribes*, and I'll see you all around!

***NOTE* REMEMBER TO TELL ME WHETHER YOU WANT AN EPILOGUE OR NOT!!! I'M ONLY WRITING ONE IF I GET MORE THAN 10 REVIEWS FOR THIS ONE! **...or maybe I'll be nice and just write one?...Hmm...stick with those 10 reviews first.


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